Drivers are supposed to yield to one another and I have never seen so many nice people than I have in the five years I have driven on that road.


More often than not, and for whatever reason, motorists are quick to yield the road to a driver on the other side by flashing his or her headlights; and, more often than not, we wave at each other when we pass.


It’s just one of those rare but sweet little things that make my day.


This brings me to an essay written by illusionist David Copperfield, which he recently recited for National Public Radio.


He wrote the essay, a few weeks after his father died, about about what he sees is a pervasive disrespect for kindness. He described his father as having a “gift” for kindness, which he demonstrated all his life. After Copperfield became famous, his father was often asked to sign autographs.


“He loved the chance to be kind to the thousands of people who came up to him,” Copperfield wrote. “He drew strength and vitality from that chance to be nice.”


Most of us, he wrote, are not “trained” for kindness.


“Kindness is for sissies; we learn that early. ‘Nice guys finish last.’ If they even get invited to the race. Kindness is taken for weakness, rube-ishness, stupidity. ... We’re taught to value competitiveness, strength, cunning, Darwin,” he wrote.


Copperfield noted that kindness is not valued in his own business of entertainment.


It’s not in my business either.


I have been doing this 22 years and it always has seemed that the rudest, loudest and most obnoxious reporters often rose to the top. I’ll never forget one reporter at a paper in Texas where I worked just out of college telling me how stupid I was. (She was right, but c’mon, I was new). And that was after I bought her lunch a few times. Those words hurt me to this day.


Now I have to say, reporters do need to be skeptical and hard on evasive officials. Brilliant Ted Koppel fit that bill. He was firm, but never a jerk.


But some reporters go way over the top. I am certain they are hammering the guy at the podium more to impress fellow reporters than to get the news. Its gratuitous and often not that effective.


Keeping a civil tone, holding doors for people, helping old ladies across the street and letting the other guy go first IS effective, valuable and it feels right.


Copperfield wrote: “... I believe Economics 101 is right. The value of a thing is determined by its scarcity. Which makes kindness spiritual gold.”


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Patricia Poist is a staff writer for the Living section. Write to her at: ppoist@lnpnews.com.
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