Acts Of Kindness

[Deleted member 33052]

I'm so sorry about your friend, Mal. That was so generous of you (though $100 doesn't go far in the grocer...

@hodge, you just did a good deed. Thank you!

 

[Heather]

A lady was in grocery store and had to put back something... I told the cashier I'd get it for her.

She hugged me.

Made me feel good.

 

[Deleted member 33052]

@Heather, that's a beautiful thing to do for some stranger. I love it!

This evening, one of my favourite events of the season took place. I live in a small rural village that feels like it's trapped in a 1950's time warp. If any of you have seen "Big Fish", I refer to this place as Spectre.

Anyway, each year just before Christmas, the volunteer firefighters gear up, deck their fire trucks out in lights, put Santa in a chair on the roof, and drive through town collecting for the local food bank. Lights flashing, siren on just long enough to let everyone know how close they are. When they get to our road, we bring them food and they give us candy canes, good cheer, and gratitude. Every year this makes me cry because I find it such a generous, caring thing to do. How beautiful is that?

 

[Deleted member 33052]

I was out for a good chunk of the day. Didn't do anything special, just lots of smiles and held doors open. I always do that so I'm not sure if it even counts.

This might be good for a laugh - husband dearest is trying to become more empathetic. At least, he thinks he's trying. He was disappointed with me because I didn't acknowledge his act of empathy today. We were in the hardware store, waiting (and waiting some more) for an employee to come by. One did approach us eventually, and husband pointed out to the employee another customer who had been waiting even longer.

On the drive home, he expressed his disappointment to me. I explained to him that not acting like a complete asshole isn't the same as showing empathy. I suppose I could have been kinder, but I was too annoyed. :p

 

[Changing4Best]

I have a friend who is a recent widow and she has trouble getting around, walks with a cane, so I asked her if she would like me to go to our church's Solace at Solstice and light a candle for her late husband. She said yes, she would appreciate that, as she could not make it there, it was too far to walk from where she was sitting in our Family Life Center at a special holiday dinner we were enjoying.

So, I went and lit candles for her late husband, my husband and my parents. Since my parents had been married for 61 years, I lit one candle for the both of them. Then I prayed with our pastor for all the folks that I lit candles for. I also laid flowers on the alter for those who had passed on.

There was a nice leaflet that was handed to me when I came in, so I got one for my widow friend too, so that she could read it when she gets home. She has maccular (sp?) degeneration and reads with a magnifying glass, so I knew she could not read it when I gave it to her, so I said "Here is something for you to read when you go home." I also picked up her Christmas cards from the mailbox we have in the narthex of the church. It is there so we can trade cards without having to pay postage. She was grateful for that as well, and oh yes, I placed her cards into the box for others too.

I also try to get coffee for her when she comes to dinner, as it is rough to carry a cup of coffee when you walk with a cane!

 

[Lola Nocheprieta]

I don't know if this counts, but I made holiday cards and small pieces of art work (artist tiles) for my treatment team, and the front office staff at the psychiatry department. I forgot to take pictures of the cards, which were made with bits of mono prints I had made last year, but I did take pictures of the artist tiles, and I'll post them here. Anyway, they were very well received, and I think everyone was genuinely touched. I typed out a letter to the "team" (5 clinicians), and hand wrote a personal message to each individual person for their card. It certainly made me feel good!

 

[The Albatross]

I over mental/emotionally) extended for my face to face friend in an effort to assist her with the suicide of her brother (9 months ago), and the death of a dear friend a year and two days ago. I offered to augment hospice for an elder's wife, who has gifted me with acceptance and hugs for 15 years.

If called upon I can do for others and am willing to get kicked on the back end these days... I can do the more difficult things for people that I genuinely care about. That's a bit of an epiphany about expansiveness and encouraging to know I am willing to risk blowback to assist others.

 

[8888]

Donating a doll to Toys for Tots today.

 

[Lola Nocheprieta]

@The Albatross,
Why blowback, Alba? And, can you make sure you don't OVER-extend yourself? Maybe you need to do some acts of kindness for yourself? Maybe sandwich in doing those difficult tasks that are gifts of yourself to others with gifts to yourself, before and after, so you don't burn out. Hugs to you!

 

[Heather]

We were at the mcds drive thru and the girl at the window commented how she loved the way my car smelled (Hawaiian air freshener )

I asked her if she had a car..she said her family did.

I reached into my glove compartment and handed her the extra freshener I had.

I said: merry Christmas and drove away.

 

[EmmaOwl]

erasing a message. sorry.

 

[Deleted member 33052]

We were at the mcds drive thru and the girl at the window commented how she loved the way my car smelled...

Very cool, Heather! :tup:

But now I want McDonald's... :p