“Equality is not about giving everyone the same experiences, but about recognizing that, while everyone is different, they should be equally valued and educated in an environment where they feel they belong.” — Rona Tutt
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Wemet him on nearly every visit to our local Stop and Shop supermarket when we resided in New England.
His name was “Matt.” He was a person with special needs, and he worked as a bagger at the grocery chain. This supermarket chain is known for hiring individuals with special needs and allowing them to contribute to the community.
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He was in his mid to late 30s. He was of average height and had a slim build. He also sported a 70s style retro mustache.
Matt was kind, cordial, and one of the friendliest people I knew. He would always greet us with a huge grin and never failed to say hello.
He always looked happy and excited to see us, or anyone he knew for that matter. He was a real people person.
Matt loved to make small talk and would usually chat with us at length about something or the other while he perfectly bagged our groceries.
I recall him telling me once that he lived in the basement of his parents’ house not too far from the store.
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Karate Studio
In addition to meeting Matt at the supermarket, we also met him at the karate studio, where my son took lessons.
Matt was one of the highest-ranking students at the dojo as he had a fifth-degree black belt in Shaolin Kempo Karate. In addition, he taught a couple of karate lessons there.
He enjoyed karate immensely and would often stay after class to chat with the students and senseis.
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The Way Matt Lived His Life
Matt was hard-working and humble. He lived a simple and honest life. He took great pride and joy in his jobs as a bagger and a karate instructor.
Matt lived in the moment and enjoyed life to the fullest. He was a happy individual.
Matt never expected anything from anyone. He never compared himself to others or competed in the rat race.
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Final Thoughts
There is much to be learned from the simple way he lived his life.
1.We should take pride in whatever we do, no matter how small or insignificant it might seem.
2. We are always rushing around from one activity to the next, barely taking even a moment to savor life’s little pleasures. Living life at a slower pace requires a concerted effort, but we should all attempt to do so to maintain our sanity.
3. We should never compare ourselves to others. As the great Theodore Roosevelt said,
“Comparison is the thief of joy.”
I wonder what Matt is up to now. Perhaps our paths will cross when we next visit New England. Regardless, we will never forget this kind, gentle man.
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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White Fragility: Talking to White People About Racism | Escape the “Act Like a Man” Box | The Lack of Gentle Platonic Touch in Men’s Lives is a Killer | What We Talk About When We Talk About Men |
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Photo credit: iStockPhoto.com