"Just be nice"

I saw that on a bumper sticker today, and it had the opposite effect than what I think was intended. It made me very sad that people need to be reminded to "just be nice". I mean really, is that such a hard concept that we need bumper stickers proclaiming it. Then I remembered the time I was violently cut off by a car with the vanity plate "NO SOUL", and I realized that we do need to be reminded to "just be nice".

I think I'm more sensitive to this issue after returning from vacation. My vacation was FABULOUS. I mean who can complain with sunsets like this:

And mountain views like this:

But the real star of the trip were the people. People from many different cultures, but always with an infectious smile. People who live in conditions most American's find unbeleivable. No shoes, no electricity, no walls on the outside of the houses. People who are happier than anyone I know. No worries about being nice there. They know nothing different. They live in communities that help each other out. They live multi-generationally in one home. They welcome 20+ strangers for surprise visits into their homes. I think that we could learn something from this culture that we consider "under-developed" and "poor". They are richer than we will ever be.

Ok, off the soapbox. The trip was wonderful. Spending time with my father was wonderful. Seeing a new part of the world was wonderful. Forgetting I owned a cell phone and laptop was wonderful. I have billions of pictures and a gagillion good memories, and I feel great about all of it. If you ever have the chance to visit Peru, do it. Go on the Amazon, meet the people. Go see Macchu Pichhu and form you're own theories. Experience life!