Try a little random kindness

We just had a major snow storm and some people were upset that it wasn’t as huge as what the meteorologists had predicted. I was having a horrible day. Not enough snow.. hmmph, I  beg to differ! All of this water from the melting snow began seeping its way into the house. I began to beat myself up for failing to take the proper precaution to clean the gutters in the fall.  As caregivers we contend with a lot of stuff on our plate and sometimes the responsibilities can weigh heavily on you. Sometimes any additional thing can make you think, “Ok now I’ve had enough already!!”  Even though I know God is there to guide, protect and lead me, sometimes instead of casting my care, I carry the load. But hey I’m still a work in progress.

Lately I’ve been meditating on kindness, which is one of the fruits of the spirit. I am striving to make a shift to living a life that is on purpose and to be intentional. In doing so, an opportunity to be kind just showed up. As you know after a snowfall, travel conditions change. It makes for a slick commute that is filled with slippery roads, sidewalks and passageways. Having built extra time for slippery conditions, I had time to stop at the post office before work. As I pulled up, I watched this elderly woman shakily cross the street with her cane. You could tell that she was feeling quite timid. She arrived minutes before me and after dropping her mail in the slot, I patiently waited for her to finish. She said to me, “Oh thanks so much for waiting.” I said, “Oh it’s no problem.” You could tell that she was probably used to people brushing past her since often in this day and age many people lack patience and are always in a rush. But having cared for both elderly sick parents, I have developed a soft spot for the elderly. I will lend a hand, especially since I’ve seen what it’s like to have a frail elder around. She turned to me and asked if I would help her cross the street back to her car. She mentioned that she was scared and doesn’t like moving around in this slick snow covered weather, but she was out on her way to the doctor. She told me that her blood pressure was very high and she gets very nervous moving around in this weather. I said, “ Oh sure, of course I will help you. And you must be careful and make sure to keep your blood pressure in check.” She was so grateful and said to me, “ You will be very blessed and it will come at a time when you need it. Just trust me! Thank you so much.”

I thank God for giving me the opportunity to use me to help this elderly woman in her time of need. I’m reminded that acts of kindness can supersede your concerns at any time. It helps to put someone else’s need before your own and sometimes that act can be all the difference in another person’s life at a time when they need it most. We often rush everywhere and are caught up in the world wind of life. Sometimes we need to take a step back and be purposeful about serving others and in return the benefits, though may not be immediate, will be returned onto you.

Kindness is a reflection of an attitude to be good to others. I challenge you to think about how you can be of service to others. What random act of kindness can you do today? How can you be more purposeful with being kind in your everyday life? Please share your thoughts.