Good things are happening all around us. I believe, we are more naturally inclined to see the negative rather the positive that takes place. Instead of noticing the naughty child in the store, the rude passenger on an airplane, or the man who makes a scene because his lunch order wasn’t exactly how he ordered it, maybe we should be looking for those who are doing the right thing.
Have you ever just been minding your own business and you noticed someone performing above and beyond the call of duty? I have.
This past weekend after a busy day, my family and I stopped to get something to eat at a fast food restaurant. After we sat down, we heard a loud crash and my wife noticed an elderly man spill his tray of food. It took only a moment before a young worker came to help the man, quickly taking care of the spill and seeing to it that he received a fresh tray of food all while treating him with respect. Soon afterward, the worker was quickly back at his job moving from one task to the next. He went from wiping the tables, to sweeping the floors, then to taking out the trash and it was all done with focus and discipline. Moved by his great work ethic, I approached him and told him I appreciated his hard work and noticed what he had done for the gentleman. I got a “Thank you, sir. I really appreciate that.” As I got in my car, I stole a glance inside to see the young man still working, as he waved goodbye to me. He was the type of worker we would all want to employ if we owned a business.
Years ago, my wife and I encountered another kind of worker who saw beyond his “work”. On a Saturday afternoon we were at a bowling alley with our son and began talking to one of the supervisors. We began sharing some of our life stories together and were simply enjoying his company. As we were leaving, he pulled out his wallet and gave us some money. Stunned, we tried to refuse, but he insisted saying it was his “offering,” his way of helping others. He took what he believed was a necessary action. We have never forgotten him or his kindness.
It’s easy to complain, but how often do we take a moment to recognize the good or take action and help make someone else’s load a little lighter.
“Don’t be yourself, be someone a little nicer.” ~ Mignon McLaughlin
Swavel
Showing posts with label kindness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kindness. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Temporary Inconvenience
Have you ever felt like you could never catch a break? I certainly have. There are certain times when life ‘just happens’. Far too often though, we allow little problems to grow because of the inconvenience that it poses us.
About three years ago, during the summer, our dryer gave up the ghost. It was frustrating because we had no extra money, so we simply hung our clothes out on the line. At work, several days later, someone was offering a free very used dryer. We had already set a date to pick up the dryer when someone learned of our situation and offered to get us a new one. We told them we had it taken care of, but they encouraged us to take their offer instead. A very much appreciated act of kindness.
This summer my family and I were in a similar predicament, but this time it was our washer. Again, funds were low and I felt exasperated. A few days later, I found a reasonably priced used washer from an appliance store that would deliver and then remove the broken one. The evening before the scheduled delivery, my parents remembered our old washer was still stored in their basement from our move eight years prior. A friend, who used to work for an appliance store, overheard the conversation and offered to help out with the delivery. Once again, things worked out.
It doesn’t always happen this way, but in these two instances I was privileged to receive an unexpected blessing. There have been many other situations like these, but if I look at it honestly, they are simply minor inconveniences on my way through life. Yet, the fact that I am fortunate enough to have appliances that need replacement is a blessing. Perhaps, I should take the focus off myself and realize how much I truly have.
I had the blues because I had no shoes until upon the street; I met a man who had no feet. ~ Ancient Persian saying
Swavel
About three years ago, during the summer, our dryer gave up the ghost. It was frustrating because we had no extra money, so we simply hung our clothes out on the line. At work, several days later, someone was offering a free very used dryer. We had already set a date to pick up the dryer when someone learned of our situation and offered to get us a new one. We told them we had it taken care of, but they encouraged us to take their offer instead. A very much appreciated act of kindness.
This summer my family and I were in a similar predicament, but this time it was our washer. Again, funds were low and I felt exasperated. A few days later, I found a reasonably priced used washer from an appliance store that would deliver and then remove the broken one. The evening before the scheduled delivery, my parents remembered our old washer was still stored in their basement from our move eight years prior. A friend, who used to work for an appliance store, overheard the conversation and offered to help out with the delivery. Once again, things worked out.
It doesn’t always happen this way, but in these two instances I was privileged to receive an unexpected blessing. There have been many other situations like these, but if I look at it honestly, they are simply minor inconveniences on my way through life. Yet, the fact that I am fortunate enough to have appliances that need replacement is a blessing. Perhaps, I should take the focus off myself and realize how much I truly have.
I had the blues because I had no shoes until upon the street; I met a man who had no feet. ~ Ancient Persian saying
Swavel
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