Cranks My Tractor

Do you push the elevator button again? If you are going up and the button has already been pushed, do you push it again? When you get in, do you do the same thing? I was in a situation recently where I had the opportunity to not only do this, but to talk about doing it with those in the elevator with me.

The other folks in the elevator and I discussed why we did it.

“It makes the elevator go faster.”

I don’t believe that.

“It gives me a sense of control.”

I don’t believe that either. 

Honestly, I think it is just the child in all of us who simply enjoys “pushing buttons.” 

Toymakers put out new toys each year for toddlers with colorful buttons, switches, knobs and dials that make sounds, music and lights come on.  Children love to make things happen, so do we.

Although pushing the elevator button twice does absolutely nothing, we still do it.  It is my opinion that we do it because we enjoy pushing buttons.

Pushing buttons can also get you into trouble.  The one thing that no one mentioned in my elevator button pushing discussion was the thought that sometimes people push buttons twice simply to annoy others or let them know that didn’t push the button correctly.

This is the kind of button pushing that causes problems.

For example, have you ever had anyone ask you to do something only to have them come right behind you and do it again?  We all have and it makes the hair on the back of our neck stand up.  It does mine anyway.

I will admit that I have been guilty of this.  I’ve asked my son to cut the grass, only to cut the grass again right after he did.  I just couldn’t live with the inch wide strips of grass sticking up that resulted in him being in a hurry.  He’s getting better now, but I felt guilty for doing it.

Maybe we should live with the grass sticking up more often.

Have you ever been asked to vacuum the floor, only to have someone come right behind you and do it again?  Or make up a bed? Or anything else, only to have the person who asked you to do it, to do it again?

It gives pushing the button twice a new meaning in my opinion. 

Just let it be.

I never feel good about cutting the grass again, as a matter of fact; it makes me kind of sick.  I can live with those strips of grass sticking up.

Now that the bad button pushing has been covered, what about the good?  Oh yes, there is good button pushing.  I like saving the best for last.  I have this terrible habit of waiting to eat what I like the most at the end of the meal.  I’ve even been accused of being a “pile eater” on occasion.

Good buttons are those things that people say and do that make you feel great.  Sometimes they are looks that say “I love you” or “You did your best.”  You want folks to push those buttons again and again.

You want them to wear those good buttons out.

These are the same people who don’t see your quirks as quirks; they see them as the things that make you special.  You can feel it when you are with them.

I was having dinner with my brothers in Alabama recently.  My baby brother and I spent a lot of time together growing up; I like to think I had a lot to do with the way he is now.  I’m proud of it.  As we ate, we talked and were having a great time.

The food on the plates was slowly going away.  I glanced at my baby brother’s plate and I saw what was happening.  He hadn’t touched that glorious chicken fried steak smothered in sawmill gravy.  All of the other food was disappearing, but he still hadn’t touched the chicken fried steak.

Finally, only the chicken fried steak was left on his plate.  Then my baby brother said it.  He simply said, “I save the best for last.”  I could have balled my eyes out.  Given the reason we were together, it would have been easy.

However, I didn’t. I simply smiled and let him push the best button I have.  The button he pushed was the one that says “You make a difference.”

I do and so do you.

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