Acts Of Kindness

I've been stressed out with school work, papers and events going on, and a friend of mine has kept me thinking positively as much as is possible. She's the greatest. It's wonderful to have friends who encourage you to keep at it.

I don't look for thank you's and seldom get them but that does not stop me...kindness like smiles is contagious!

Enough folks act kindly it can only eventualy catch on.

Well, I think I was grumpy that day when I actually said, "your welcome."

I have had several people do a lot of acts of kindness towards me lately. My hubby is always one of them. I have great friends and great in-laws too. I am a very blessed person.

I've found that the more I keep my mind turned towards God (thru prayer but also just everyday evidence of His presence & affection for us), the more opportunities He sends my way to do those acts of kindness...
Holding the door at a store open for a young mother trying to maneuver a big stroller was a recent opportunity. How I remember trying to steer those things myself! My daughter is 17 now but those days don't seem that long ago.

This past weekend four friends did a deliberate random act of kindness for me
when they hosted a Bridal Shower for my future daughter-in-law! For them to approach me with their idea a couple of months ago was so unexpected, but it warmed not only my heart but the hearts of my son & his fiance. How I appreciate those ladies!!

Siobhan Blues
'Mother-in-Law To Be'

I was a victim of an act of kindness this week. I love this one particular band that is touring the states right now. They came out with a DVD that only can be purchased at their performances. Well this gal that I have never met personally and doesn't really know me, purchased one of those DVDs at their performance last weekend for me and mailed it to me shortly after. I received it the other day and I was so jazzed and flabbergasted that she would do this for me!

Acts of kindness should be a matter of course and so I do not expect a "thank you"...it's simply the way my creator wants us to treat each other and by the way the easiest thing at all: Treat anyone as you want to be treated yourself.

Smiles are great. Smiles drive winter out of human faces and let the sun come to shine. And yes, they are very contagious. Give the world a smile and it will smile back to you more often than you might expect it.
Each kindness you do returns back to you and warms your own heart, too.

This is a great topic!

There is one thing I always do whenever I have to go to the grocery store or any store that has shopping carts. I always make it a point to pick up any stray carts not put in the corral along the way and put them where they belong. There have been times when I've done this and the person who left the cart was still in their car when I went to pick it up. With the expression on their faces I often wonder if it makes them think next time about leaving it there.

I also make it a point to say hello to people as I walk past them. Sadly too many of them are surpised to be greeted by a stranger.

To follow up on my original post: My wife's cousin/our neighbor has not let me mow a single time this year!!!! He gets all of the big stuff and all I have to do is the trim and the few patches he can't get with his riding mower! Every time I've tried to get out and do it myself, he shows up - without a word - and takes over! I've got to figure out some way to pay this guy back for all of the help he is giving me!!!! God bless him and his family!

I was the recipient of some genuine kindness, last week when my mom was rushed to the hospital. The ambulance guys were absolutely wonderful; when I arrived at the salon where she'd passed out they were already taking her blood pressure (it had shot up dangerously high) and trying to find out how she was feeling but she was so zonked she couldn't talk clearly. I came up behind them, looked over one guys shoulder and said "Mom, are you being trouble again?!?'
Those guys turned around so surprised, but then they just laughed when I told them who I was. The tension was diffused, mom was relieved to see me and got to where she could tell the paramedics what was wrong, and we got her to the hospital soon. Even at the hospital, the paramedics checked on her until she was seen by a doctor, and they were so kind & ressuring to me and dad too when he arrived.

Oh by the way, guess what caused her problem?? She hates taking meds anyway, understand, but this time she had let her blood pressure med run out & simply hadn't bothered getting it refilled for over 2 weeks! Now she's fine.

I sure appreciate the kindness shown to my whole family by the paramedics and the hospital staff too.

Siobhan Blues

OMG, SB! That is so very dangerous to ever stop taking blood pressure meds! I am so very glad your mom is okay now. I was really worried there for a second. Yeah, those EMT guys are something, aren't they? Thank God Almighty for them too!

Mom learned her lesson about meds! Its been making me uneasy the last year or so, that she's taking more and more of them for different ailments: blood pressure, thyroid, arthritis, estrogen for awhile, osteoporosis, indigestion (the Purple Pill)...
Seems like there would be a risk of bad interaction between something, but maybe not.

I don't even like taking aspirin! Guess it runs in the family to dislike pills.


SB

Well getting old is part of taking pills, I guess. I am glad she learned her lesson.

I had another act of kindness yesterday. A friend of mine sent me a gift in the mail yesterday for no other reason than kindness and was thinking of me.

Acts of Kindness! Yes I have a very good one!

Mother's Day approached this year although 2 of my 4 children are not speaking to me. The week of Mother's Day I had unbelieveable flowers, cards and letters from clients that started arriving that week at my salon. All included loving thoughts and prayers for me and a wish for me to have a nice mother's day.

One of the last gifts that were brought into me was from a young lady around 28 whom had just been lain off her job 2 weeks before. She was in for her regular haircut and I offered to charge her half price to help her out during a difficult time. She insisted paying me full time and tipped me $5. About 30 min's in she comes with a coffee cup with 3 balloons and flowers in the cup that the cup had a positive inspirational saying on it for me in other words to keep my lift up.

What generosity during a already difficult time in her life. That was the most unselfish thing! Such love and concern were given to me that week it was unbelieveable. I didn't think I had a support group to help me with what Im going thru right now. How wrong I was! My support group has been men and women whom have shared their friendship with me and are truely caring.

Wow! What kindness and friendships I have sometimes overwhelm me! I am truely blessed!

Annabelle

Hi Annabelle! Where ya been? I've missed ya! How are the weddings going?

This is a nice thread.

About a year ago, some people in my building moved out and left an elderly male cat behind. He stayed near the building outside getting thinnner and thinner, until one day he was lying in the rain next to a little paper plate of soggy friskies somebody left out for him. I couldn't stand it, and took him in, although I am quite allergic to cats. After a few days I got lucky and placed him with an older woman upstairs who is housebound and lonely, and had a mouse problem besides. Several people leave decent quality food for him by her door, since she is on the usual not very adequate fixed income.

This weekend she came down to the stoop to have some Fourth of July barbecue, and the cat was with her. I could hardly recognize him -- fat and happy. They seem quite devoted to each other. It's our building success story.