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Thursday, February 11, 2010

Random Acts of Kindness

February 15 - 21 is Random Acts of Kindness Week. On my work blog, we're encouraging folks to bestow some kindness on a senior citizen. (Check it out here.)

I am so lucky, however, to have very punctual friends who have heaped kindness on me today. Perhaps that makes them pre-punctual? At any rate, I wanted to share the two very sweet things these ladies did for me because both things really made me feel loved.

First, my neighbor Cathy came by with her daughter to deliver my Girl Scout cookies (for my conversation with my trainer about THAT, click here). While she was visiting -- ok, waiting for me to find where I'd put my purse! -- Cathy told me that she's been reading my blog. Woohoo! While that would have been kindness enough, there's more.

Cathy mentioned that in reading some of the things I've written about our struggles with Robbie, it reminded her of her own sister who raised a son with autism at a time when autism was not as well-known or understood as it is know. Cathy's sister Julie wrote a book about her experience. And while Robbie's diagnosis is not autism, Cathy thought I would be able to relate to some of her sister's experiences and might get something out of the book, so she brought me my own copy. It's that sweet? (The book is Just Be His Mommy by Julie Conner.)

The second kindness that was shown to me today was by my friend Ellen, who also lives in my neighborhood. If you think I'm becoming a gym rat, you should talk to Ellen who has lost 40 pounds since October and who takes a spin class almost every day. I dropped by Ellen's house to pick up a circle punch to make Lego birthday party invitations for Robbie. She'd asked me previously if I would be interested in some of the clothes that she can no longer wear. When I said yes, I assumed we were talking a couple pairs of pants and tops. Ellen greeted me with two very large, very full bags of clothes! "Keep what you like, give the rest to Goodwill," she said.

To paraphrase Blanch DuBois from A Streetcar Named Desire, "I have always relied on the kindness of neighbors."

Thanks Cathy and Ellen. You ladies are awesome. I definitely plan to pay your kindness forward next week during Random Acts of Kindness Week!

3 comments:

Momza said...

How is it that I do not know about this awesome occasion??? How do I get in on this?? I have many acts of kindness to do!!

Eternal Lizdom said...

I love when good things happen to good people!!

Shelley said...

So sweet! I've never heard of Random Acts of Kindness Week either, although with the mood I've been in, it would probably wind up being more like Random Acts of Assault and Battery.

And I'm so glad I know you well enough to be certain that the "kindness" you've depended on from your neighbors isn't the same kind Blanche got from strangers! YIPES! :oD