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Acts Of Kindness

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At random times, I will post positive comments on chat, for the next person who shows up. I don't know who will read them, but if someone is going on chat because they need comfort and no one is there, my messages might help them to feel a little bit less alone. Kind of like a message in a bottle!
This is not only kind, it is also creative! It is great. When I first visited this site, chat was going slow, & I didn't quite get things. Well I still don't get *everything* here! but the "message in a bottle" idea is cool, I like that.

Except... Mal... You're setting up an awfully high standard for the rest of us!! ;)
 
I didn't commit a single act of kindness today. I didn't even leave the house! I will try to commit two tomorrow.
 
image.webp image.webp image.webp image.webp It took me a little bit of time to make them, but here is what I did:

I made a gift for our yoga teacher, based on a brief comment she had made, something about making cards so that people could indicate whether they wanted an adjustment or not. I'm sure she was imagining laminated cards that on one side said yes and in the other side said no. What she does now is while we are laying in savasana (resting on our backs), she says palms up if you want an adjustment, palms down if you don't want to be touched. So, I made two different watercolor backgrounds, one is soothing greens and blues and purples flowing nicely into each other; the other is bright vibrant yellows and oranges. I used darker watercolors to write in calligraphy "No, Thanks" on the soothing blues/greens, and "Yes, Please!" on the bright yellows/oranges. I included "No, Gracias" and "¡Sí, Por Favor!" Then, I cut them out, lined them all up (I made this much harder than it had to be!), and photocopied them. Anyway, now they can be duplicated and laminated, then cut out for individual cards. They are a little wonky, but made with love and thought. I explained to her that I made the colors so differently so she could see who wanted an adjustment from across the room. She was totally surprised and loved it!

I also made random messages to distribute around my work neighborhood, where there are a lot of homeless people and impoverished families, as well as law students and average joes. The messages mostly say on one side "This is for you, Yes, YOU." And on the other side is a hopeful message or word. I will try to post some pictures here. If I can't do it here I will post in Media.

Thanks, Mal, for prompting me to do something I e always wanted to do!
 
Wise words, my friend! I sort of did - I started looking into Tai Chi classes!

So, yesterday I smiled at every person I saw. Got many smiles back. This is nothing new, though. Out here, strangers look you in the eye. My kids and I found it kind of creepy when we first moved out here. You pass someone on the sidewalk, you nod or smile. Sometimes you say a few words in passing. But you always make the effort to acknowledge them.

Today, I saw a woman begging for money. I gave her what change I had, maybe a couple of bucks. I understand that many people don't approve of giving money, but frankly, I don't care what it's spent on. If she buys food, great. If she gets liquor, then maybe she can escape her shit life for an evening.

Oh, and I told as many retail workers as possible that I appreciated their service. :)

It's not a quota, Mal. Did you commit an act of kindness toward yourself? Maybe the "two tomor...
 
I've been doing some kind deeds, but feeling too gloomy to post. Since my mood is shit anyway, I'm going to see if this cheers me up.

I've been trying to have cash on me lately (not much, just a couple of bucks) in case I run into someone who needs it. That happened three days in a row, and not again for about a week now.

I donated money and made Christmas treats for the residents of the local addiction treatment centre.

This last one I don't feel too good about. I ran into a woman from group, who has become a friend, at the grocery store. She was returning a can of coffee so that she could buy bread and milk. I know that she is destitute - I bought her some groceries about six months ago. Anyway, I offered to get her a few necessities and I think she ended up with about a hundred dollars' worth of stuff. And then she asked me for gas money. I'm not sure at what point I stopped feeling good and started feeling resentful. I know that she needed everything we bought. I know it's almost Christmas, and she is severely depressed. She has PTSD and is fighting to get on disability. She's a loving, beautiful woman. On the drive home, I tried to figure out if I have some limit to my generosity. I must. I didn't feel like she was taking advantage of me, rather, she was accepting my help without conditions...
 
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I'm so sorry about your friend, Mal. That was so generous of you (though $100 doesn't go far in the grocery store anymore). I hope you're going to be okay yourself financially now?

I know the feeling, too gloomy to post.

I can't think of anything good I've done lately, except to post a couple of what I hope are helpful supportive responses to strangers on some Pantsuit Nation posts on FB. We're only a couple of days out of the polar vortex (down to -40 F windchill at its worst), so I haven't really been out for awhile, except to go to therapy.

But you're doing good.
 
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