Reflect briefly on the power of simple acts.

（小さな行動の持つパワーについて、少しの間よく考えてみましょう。）
　最近購入した本『Balance--a guide to life's forgotten pleasures』（邦題：『人生をひそかに楽しむための45の方法』）より、人生をひそかに楽しむためのHow toのひとつ「How to open doors for strangers」より。

• reflectは「反射、反映する」しか意味を知らなかった。"reflect on"とすると「〜について熟考する、考えを述べる(to think deeply or carefully about something, or to say something that you have been thinking about)」という意味になる。"reflect back on"として「回顧する」という使い方も。ただし、reflect on somebodyだと、単に「影響を及ぼす」という意味で使われる場合があるので注意。
  • Her essay invites the reader to reflect on the importance of art in people's lives.
  • When I reflect back on the years I spent with my parents, I think I had a good childhood.
  • I like to reflect on my great-grandmother.
  • He had time to reflect on his successes and failures.
  • He reflected with sadness on the unhappiness of his marriage.
• How to open doors for strangers
  1. Approach door as you normally would. (Fig1: a man and a woman are heading for a door)
  2. Open door. Fight blinding urge to be first at everything. Allow stranger to pass ahead of you. (Fig2: a man opens a door for a woman)
  3. Reflect briefly on the power of simple acts. (Fig3: they are going through the door)