Due to unexpected expenses, I was having a tough time making ends meet. One particularly bad day, I confided this situation to my neighbor. She’s a retired computer type person who produces four different websites. While on the phone with her a few days after my panic, she asked if I could write some articles she “needed” for her website and she would pay me. Did she really need the writing? Maybe. But I think she was an earth angel who appeared just at the right time to help a friend!
A few years ago, my mother had a flat tire driving alone on the freeway. While she was waiting for help, a young man (probably in his early twenties) pulled up behind her. She said she was a little nervous at first, but then he was very friendly and changed her tire. She tried to offer him some money for his help and as he was refusing her offer, he smiled and told her that if he told his own mother that he had taken her money, she would probably smack him in the back of his head. He went on to tell her that he believed in karma - and he was just hoping that if his mother was in this situation, that someone would stop and help her.
I found out a coworker's husband was very ill, and so it was a pretty stressful time for her and her family. I didn't want to intrude on her privacy, but I wanted to help in some way. I decided to buy a gift card and I anonymously left it on her desk with a "just because" note. Sometimes we don't know the best way to help someone, but I hope that even the simplest gesture can make a difference.
I was in line at my Starbucks drive through and I was about to turn into the drive through when I noticed another car about to turn in from the other side. I gestured at the other car to go ahead of me, and then after I ordered and went to pay, I learned that the guy had paid for my order! That really made my whole day!
I thought I would treat my dog, whom I love dearly, to McDonalds which I don't do often but she really loves it. I had a bogo coupon for Egg McMuffins so I put her in the car and off to McDonalds we went. When I got to the window to pay for my food, I was informed by the worker that the person in the car in front of me had paid for my food. I was stunned and cried on the way home. I pulled myself together and after eating our breakfast, I got back in the car and went to my local grocery store and noticed a lady just about to pay for her groceries. I quickly ran over and said, "please let me do this for you" and I put my debit card in the machine and paid for her groceries. It made me feel so good. Again I cried all the way home. Tears of joy.
Finding myself with a lot of downtime recently, I was finally cleaning out my linen closet. It was stuffed with old linens and towels that I haven't used in quite a while. So I bagged them all up and brought them to the local animal shelter. The workers there were as happy to receive my clutter as I was to free up space in my closet!
My name is Naomi and for my 17th birthday, I wanted to make an impact in my community, especially during this current crisis. Before the crisis, I volunteered at St. Joseph's nursing home in Woodbridge, NJ. Sadly, the home got affected by Covid-19 and my ladies were transferred to a different facility. Many died and after I heard the news I wanted to do something to make the remaining smile. Over the past month and a half, I've worked on making 300 hand-made motivational cards. It took over 100 hours, but it was worth it to send out to the affected patients. I worked every day to make the cards and not only sent them to my ladies at St. Joseph's but to two other hospitals in New Jersey as well. Thank you to CareOne at Hanover, RWJ University Hospital Rahway, and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center for helping me make my birthday wish come true.
