Comcast triggers change of thought

So an interesting thing happened this week. My Comcast cable box stopped working on Tuesday. At first I thought maybe it was unplugged, but unfortunately the problem was not that simple. So in effort to resolve the problem, I got online with Comcast eChat to find a solution. I had two options: wait a minimum of a week to get a technician to come to my home to replace my current box, or I could go down to Comcast to switch it out myself. Weighing the options and knowing that I really want to watch American Idol, the solutions was easy -- field trip to Comcast. Scenario in point: It's Friday evening around 6:30. The local Comcast office is located in a rather dingy strip mall on the south side of Alexandria. I walk into the office to find a line six people deep, two people sitting behind the Comcast desks with only one of them helping people. Ugh! This is going to be a wait I thought to myself. While in line, the wait seemed slower than molasses dripping down the side of a maple tree. The Comcast employees appeared less than concerned to speedily help the people in the growing line which was to the door at this point. Customers around me were growing more and more impatient and began voicing their annoyance. As I listened to the noise around me, I found that I was becoming annoyed as well and became more and more concerned about the time. At this point, another Comcast employee came to the front and began assisting customers. As I watched the Comcast representatives help the people in front of me, I started to think how bummed they must be to have to work until 9 pm on a Friday night. I would be extremely bummed as I was itching to leave work at 3:30 just earlier that day. So instead of being rude and impatient as some of my neighbors were being I chose to smile and be nice when it was my turn to go to the window. I had a pleasant exchange with customer service representative and she was extremely helpful in resolving my problem. I was on my way shortly after 7 pm with a working cable box. So I am sure you're asking yourself: what does this have to do with changing the world? Well, this example of how simple it is to do exactly that -- change the world. We all have a choice to smile, be nice and give someone the benefit of the doubt or we chose to be impatient, rude and short-tempered. People respond to how we act. Just simply giving someone a break and being nice can be a catalyst to a changing world. A world where people are kinder, happier and fun to be around.