A young girl I work with and her husband had just bought their first house. One day in the lunchroom she was discussing the stress of moving with a baby while she and her husband were both working full time. Another coworker was in the lunchroom at the time, quietly listening. The next day at lunch, she handed a big brown bag to the girl. It was a complete dinner she had cooked for the girl and her husband, even including dessert!
Christmas time 2016 I was making a donation to Goodwill and decided to look around for sweatpants I could cut up the leg because I was on crutches. I noticed a little girl crying and speaking with her mother in Spanish. Obviously the little girl wanted a toy but the mother kept saying no. I tried to convey that I would buy the toy for the child if it was OK with the mom. My daughter came over and translated for us. I gave the cashier $4 for the toy. The smile on the little girl's face made my day. It was unfortunate neither one thanked me but I still felt great!
I was waiting in line to pay for my milk and bread at the local convenience store. Ahead of me was a teenager fumbling with his change to make his purchase. When he realized he didn't have enough money, he complained that he was on his lunch break, and he was really hungry. I handed him two dollars and told him to keep the change.
We have a crazy dog. Now don't get me wrong, we love our crazy border collie, but if she gets out of the yard, she runs. It's always a concern for us because she just bolts with no thought of cars or any potential danger. Along with our crazy dog, we also have awesome neighbors that have always looked out for her. There was one time when Luna got loose and we couldn't find her for a while. Just as my kids and I were beginning to worry, our phones started ringing. My son answered his cell, while I answered mine. Then the house phone rang. To our surprise, it was three different neighbors letting us know the recent location of Luna. It was like our own neighborhood GPS system! Thankfully, we were able to "find" and rescue Luna because of the caring and kindness of neighbors.
One cold, winter afternoon I was rushing down the supermarket aisle totally preoccupied with my own negative thoughts. It was right after Christmas and I was trying to think of cheap, nutritious meals to make for my family. All of a sudden I was awakened from my stupor by a sweet old man that was coming the opposite way down the aisle. "Slow down, enjoy the ride or you might get a ticket", he exclaimed with a huge smile on his face. Along with his smile, he was wearing a baseball cap that clearly showed he was a veteran. I smiled at him, and thanked him for his service - and for snapping me out of my pity party.