When good things are out of place, no good can come out of them.
Either I’m not ready to take advantage of it, or instead of reaping the benefits, I get the downsides instead.
Do you have a favorite restaurant? One that has great service, fantastic food, a warm and welcoming ambience, all for the right price?
I’m sure that restaurant is always packed, yet somehow manages to always have a table. That’s how good they are.
Now, imagine, this restaurant opens up, right beside where you live.
And for you condo dwellers out there, I don’t mean right beside your building, I mean right-beside-your-door type of right beside.
What happens now?
First, it was the smell.
Now, instead of just enjoying the fantastic service and food of the restaurant, you get a front-row experience to all the downsides.
This happened to me a month ago, where my parent’s house suddenly became neighbor to a burger joint.
I’d be happy if it was anywhere near to my favorite restaurant, but the place serves processed junk, sugar, with unhealthy chemicals, and empty calories.
So apart from having no upside whatsoever to the restaurant, we got the downsides as well.
In my case, the first symptom was the burger smell. It slowly creeps into the house and all of your surroundings. It isn’t appetizing anymore. I’ve grown to hate the rancid smell of burger meat frying in some black oil.
Of course, that’s just my imagination, but the burger smell everywhere, even in the bedroom, is horrendous.
Now, when I ask my mom, she doesn’t smell it anymore. She’s become desensitized, her sense of smell beaten down by the frying rancid burger meat.
Then, the noisy, insensitive, littering, people.
And then, there’s the people. All the people waiting for their turn, chatting, being their noisy selves, right outside our house, right outside our door.
All the people littering on the sidewalk, and pointing fingers as to whose trash it belongs to. Even the restaurant wouldn’t take responsibility.
All the people parking wherever they want, blocking doors, driveways, and not having the common decency to make way for people passing by.
Just seeing them makes me lose my faith in the decency of people, a little bit.
And the noisy people wouldn’t stop being noisy, dirty, even well into the night, when the residents of this previously quiet and quaint residential street would relax and have their early shut-eye.
Now, it’s interrupted and marred by families with noisy kids and no manners, friends talking about their latest night out, or teens squealing about their crushes.
At least, they taught me that I needed help. Never in my life have I ever wished a throng of random strangers be run over by a truck as fast as possible.
Until now.
Everything in its right place.
Just because something is good, or beneficial, doesn’t mean it would be a great idea to put it anywhere.
Everything has a downside, cons to their pros, everything.
Anything, and everything, has a right place, where it would fit the best.
This burger joint beside the house, would be better off somewhere else, where they can serve more people, have parking, take care of their trash comfortable, and not inconvenience the neighbors.
And though everything has a downside, everything as it’s right place, where it can be given the space to shine, and show off their best qualities, and put their strengths into good use.
Courtesy is still king
Instead of me being pushy, and forcing what good I have down the throats of others (which wouldn’t work), I have to learn to be courteous.
To be courteous to know if what I’m doing is responsible or not.
To be courteous to do the right thing that will benefit more people, although there is more immediate benefit for me.
To be courteous enough to accept feedback, do something about it, and be humble enough to win my detractors and strongest critics.
And to be courteous, to make an effort to invite others to be courteous as well.
If we were all, even just a bit more, courteous, and showed courtesy to others, the world would instantly become a better place to live in.
Even good things can become distractions, obstacles, and problems.
Did I forget to mention, that there’s no covered waiting area outside the restaurant? They’ve either given up, or they’re drenched under their small, flimsy umbrellas, under the rain.
I heard a couple, walking away, upset and inconvenienced at the restaurant, for being so lacking and not accommodating.
Maybe karma is a thing. Not sure whose though.
I now understand the reason and benefit of zoning, because of this incident.
It’s about finding the right timing, the right place and situation, for what you have and what good you bring.
Everything in balance and moderation.
Exercising is a good thing, but too much can lead to injuries and pain.
Sleeping is a good thing, but too much can lead to loss of energy, and depression.
Socializing is a good thing, but too much can leave you empty, and directionless.
Everything has its right place.
Ever had a good thing become a bad thing for you? Please share in the comments below!
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