EM – Day after day, the elevator works diligently, bringing people up and down the apartment, gently stopping at each floor as a greeting, a message, helping each person to return to their home. But do we ever say “thank you” to the elevator? Or do we just see elevators as a means of transport, soulless and sometimes temperamental?
Each apartment building can be considered as a village. In the countryside, every old village has a village gate. Then in many villages, there are village gates. So is the apartment. The apartment gate is also considered as the village gate, but it does not seem to be well taken care ofInside each elevator is also considered as a neighborhood’s gate. Thus, the “neighborhood elevator gate” is even more important than the village gate in the countryside because the elevator is more concerned with the safety of residents. Everyone wishes to be safe and sound every time they leave the apartment, and when they return, the elevator opens the door, as if it’s opening its arms. So that the elevator is not a soulless machine, but a bridge so that we can temporarily stay away from the noisy world outside, and live peacefully in each apartment that we love. Then the elevator greeted us, send us to work with all the excitement
Is it true that we were greeted by an opened door elevator like a gentle opening arms? That attachment gives each person an image of a feeling like friendship with that companion daily.
In the rush of life, sometimes we forget very simple but important things. Forget to say thank you to the dear elevator, like a villager forgets to be grateful to the village gate. The gate in the countryside always appears mossy, ancient, gentle, a witness of many changes in life. The same for the elevator in the high-rise apartment building. Although not mossy and ancient, on the contrary always wearing a new shirt, diligently serving everyone, but the elevator is always gentle to guide our steps. And we must be grateful, cherish that as we were grateful and cherish the village gate. It should be a reciprocal, humane and enduring way of behavior.
Where I live is a 41-storey apartment building, gathering people from many provinces and cities with many personalities and 6 elevators serving regularly, regardless of young or old, man or woman, rich or poor. Sometimes, I chatted with the elevator, to see the sophistication in not only the design, but also in the way it is operating and servicing. Once, I asked the elevator that installed the earliest: “Of the six elevators, which one is older and which one is younger? And have you ever been rivals?” The first elevator installed replied, “Of course, I was the first to be installed by a human, I am the oldest. So on, the last one is the youngest. While serving, the elevator “species” puts the safety of people first, so there is no such thing as a rival. But there were times that we were tired and sick when we were overworked or when it was stormy. At that time, humans had meticulously and carefully treated us. Therefore, we were able to return to work.” I asked again: “Does the elevator understand love? And when does the relaxation take place?” Buzz, buzz, buzz. The elevator gently replied, “You must have asked the stone and asked the leaf this question. Elevators have love and emotions like all species. Working too much can make us tired. The relaxing time is when the cleaning lady cleans and wipes us with a soft towel. But I also feel sad because there are people around us who lack manners”.
I went silent. And I understood more about the values and behavior of life. There are people who have conquered many heights, become rich, but are heartless in front of the “friend” who is still picking them up every day. As the elevator said, friends also need to be treated by not drawing graffiti, not littering and using it properly, to avoid hurting and confusing the elevator. Elevators also need people to live in symbiosis with elevator “species”, so that the operation is smooth and convenient. Because I am also afraid of being soiled and emotionally starved. It is the most terrible hunger that somewhere out there humans are facing.
I have a lot of respect for the janitors who decorate the elevator with flowers. They arranged flower pots in the lobby, in front of the elevator to create a harmonious and civilized atmosphere. So that when the apartment is quiet, the elevator can quietly sit and contemplate and muse about life. The apartment has changed clearly in the last days of the year. That is the atmosphere of the music on the advertising screen. Those are decorative vases signaling the coming warm spring. Taking care and loving the elevator is a way to return the favor, make the elevator happy and healthy, and take care of the residents.
Outside, the streets are busy with a cheerful atmosphere. I don’t know how many people are thinking like me. I suddenly heard one of the security guards whisper to his colleagues: “This year the apartment will be decorated more brilliantly. In particular, two large flower pots placed in front of 6 elevators are a way to make the space beautiful and the elevator beautiful. In the way he spoke, I saw an optimistic smile on his lips. Then I thought, what flowers will I buy for the elevator?
Quite late at night, when returning home with a bouquet, there was only a young girl in the elevator, holding a bouquet with a youthful expression, whispering something.
Looks like she’s also gifting flowers to the elevator.
