What can I say...
I'm a nice person. Mind you, I can get ugly when I know someone is taking advantage of me or my friends, but pending the situation - the vulnerability of the other party, timing and just my emotional strength at the time, and equal level of intelligence - I will let a lot go.
Nice doesn't mean weak or stupid, innocent or inexperience. Most of the time when people do un-nice things, instead of claw or stab back, I let it slide.
But nice stinks. It stinks to be nice. To let it slide. To turn the other cheek. But the alternative is too easy, and it's a road taken by many. The high road is a hard-ass climb. The not tearing down, loose lips and chainsaw words to rip through reputations and names does take a willingness to step back and look at the larger picture.
We're all human. Built with memories, experiences, feelings, hurts and all that other awesome stuff that tends to surface and pile up on stressful days, lonely days and shitty days.
The only instance I'm un-nice is when someone is consistently getting away with bad behavior without any consideration to change.
example: taking advantage of a woman without a hint of backing down. Whether verbal, physical or with a long lecherous gaze. Whether towards my friends or myself, I will be un-nice about it. I will let you know it is wrong and not feel any guilt in doing so. Because I know, many "nice" women before me have let you get away with it.
Nice isn't such a nice word, from my experience. Perhaps it's because the word itself is too vague. Used too simplistically: Nice flowers, nice dress, nice smile, nice guy.
Instead of: Gorgeous Flowers. Knock-out Dress. Killer Smile. Awesome Guy.
The difference is huge.
Websters definition of Nice: giving pleasure or joy : good and enjoyable: attractive or of good quality: kind, polite, friendly.
It's not what we think of when we hear the word NICE. Or at least not all of it at once.
But it's in me, tragically, to be a few of those examples of nice. F**king boring, but true.
It's the nice in me that helps people with baby strollers and heavy items down the stairs. It's the nice in me that looks out for peers so they don't get reamed by the boss. It's the nice in me that always gives up my seat to someone who looks more exhausted than I do, even though I'm really exhausted. And it's the nice in me that will always forgive, except if you're an abusive ass-hole.
Sadly, we've become a micro-tiny, interactive world where so many are not nice. Cause that would be boring. Nice is unfashionable and uncool. Though we would all like to be treated with niceness. It does make us smile, doesn't it. When someone does a nice gesture, however small: opens the door cause your hands are full with breakfast and a coffee. Holds the bus cause they see you running for it. Gives you change when you're 50 cents short.
I hope those small tokens of nice never go away.
