NFA Finance

Today’s writing prompt…

I sat there thinking about it.

And I’ve got nothing.

Not because I think people are terrible. Not because I haven’t met some incredible people in my life. And definitely not because strangers haven’t surprised me with kindness.

It’s because I don’t think one stranger has ever completely restored my faith in people.

That’s a pretty big job to put on one person.

I’ve been in business for more than 25 years. I’ve bought and sold cars. I’ve loaned people money. I’ve been owed money. I’ve hired people. Fired people. Helped people. Been helped by people. I’ve traveled all over the country and spent more time on the side of the road, in repair shops, dealerships, restaurants, hotels, gas stations and parking lots than I could ever calculate.

You see a lot of humanity that way.

Some of it will disappoint the hell out of you.

But some of it will surprise you.

And I’ve learned that my faith in people doesn’t come from some giant movie moment where a stranger appears out of nowhere and changes my entire outlook on humanity.

It comes from the little shit.

It’s somebody stopping when they see you broken down.

It’s somebody giving you the right directions instead of blowing you off.

It’s the employee who does the right thing even though the boss isn’t watching.

It’s the customer who calls because you accidentally gave them too much change.

It’s the guy who tells you the truth when lying would have benefited him.

It’s somebody holding a door.

Somebody helping an old person load something into their car.

Somebody seeing another person struggling and jumping in without asking what’s in it for them.

Nobody makes a documentary about those moments.

Most of them aren’t even remembered a week later.

But they matter.

Especially because we live in a world where we’re constantly being shown the worst of everybody.

Open your phone and you can convince yourself pretty quickly that society is falling apart.

Somebody stealing.

Somebody fighting.

Somebody scamming somebody.

Somebody screaming about politics.

Somebody treating another human being like garbage.

That stuff gets attention.

Good people quietly doing good things usually doesn’t.

Maybe that’s why those little moments hit me harder as I get older.

Because when somebody does the right thing when there is absolutely nothing in it for them, you’re seeing something real.

No camera.

No applause.

No social media post.

No reward.

They just did it because that’s who they are.

I’ve also learned something else:

If you’re waiting around for somebody else to restore your faith in people, maybe you’re looking at it backward.

Be the person who restores somebody else’s.

Stop and help.

Keep your word.

Pay somebody back.

Give somebody a chance.

Tell the truth when lying would be easier.

Help the person stranded on the side of the road.

Buy somebody a cup of coffee.

Make the phone call.

Do something good when nobody will ever know you did it.

Because somewhere out there is somebody who’s had a rough fucking week.

Maybe they’ve been lied to.

Maybe somebody screwed them over.

Maybe business is beating the hell out of them.

Maybe they’re broke.

Maybe they’re tired.

Maybe they’re questioning everybody around them.

And one small interaction with you might remind them:

There are still good people out here.

I’ve met enough bad people in 47 years to know they exist.

But I’ve met enough good ones to know something else.

The world isn’t saved by one giant act of kindness.

It’s saved a little bit every day by millions of small ones.

So no.

I can’t tell you about the stranger who completely restored my faith in people.

But I can tell you I’ve encountered thousands of little reminders that made sure I never completely lost it.

And maybe that’s better.

Stack daily wins.

— Nicholas Francis
Modern Day Dealer