In the movie Harvey, James Stewart tells an acquaintance “You can be ‘oh-so-smart’, or ‘oh-so-nice’. I choose ‘oh-so-nice’.”
It’s a great and simple lesson if you can hear it.
Think of the people you love and admire.
How many are “oh-so-nice”?
While we may admire many smart and successful people, when it comes to those we would want to spend time with, don’t we choose “nice”?
In Armchairzen world this means accepting others as they are.
Not being the person that has a comment or opinion or advice (unless you ask for it), but the person who sits and listens.
Not being the person that starts most sentences with “I, me or my”, but the person who talks about you and “us”.
Not being the person to ask “why?”, but being the person that says “why not?”.
In Stewart’s role as Elwood P. Dowd in the film Harvey, the Pooka is a 6-foot rabbit named Harvey, a sort of spirit companion, that only Stewart can see.
It never bothers him that others think he’s crazy. He knows he sees and speaks to Harvey, and easily understands and forgives others for not seeing him.
His sister, concerned for her brother’s mental health, is convinced to commit Elwood to a psychiatric hospital.
In this Pulitzer-winning drama by Mary Chase, when Elwood finds out that his committal is his sister’s desire, he readily submits, simply to please her.
Ultimately, Elwood’s sister realizes that his craziness is just the thing we need in this world. Not someone all wrapped up in themselves, their career, their success.
Without the Elwoods of the world, who would pursue beauty and kindness, forsaking selfishness, meanness and short-sightedness?
You must see the play or the movie sometime to experience the niceness of Elwood P. Dowd. It’s infectious.
Some of the best advice I’ve ever received in my life comes from a fictional character described as insane, talking to a six-foot invisible spirit rabbit.
Crazy or not, I too choose “oh-so-nice”.
Elwood P. Dowd
Be at peace,
Paz
Armchair Zen 
Drop a line...