Sometimes people do the nicest things!
And, in so doing, they leave the benefactor of the nice thing a little puzzled, but grateful.
Mostly grateful!
The other day I happened to be the benefactor of a nice thing.
It was very cool and I am most grateful!
In fact, it totally turned my ordinary day into an extraordinary one and in that moment in time it seemed the sun shone just a little brighter and the grass seemed just a little greener than usual.
It’s amazing how acts of kindness can make such a difference.
Anyway, here’s how it happened.
I was just being my ordinary self, getting out the newspaper like I always do on Monday. I must admit that I was a little puffed up because I was ahead of deadline.
I’m never ahead of deadline and I put it down to being just a little more organized than usual.
Working smart, I believe they call it. I was working smart.
Anyway, I digress.
As I was settled in at my desk working smart, the phone rang.
It turns out it was my nephew.
I actually have several nephews and I love them all, but this particular nephew suddenly pivoted himself to the very top of the nephew ladder because of these words, “Hey, Treen, “I want to take you and mom out for lunch today and then take you both to a few greenhouses. It’s my treat. I have nothing but time and money!
“Holy cow,” I thought. “How often do I get an invitation like that?”
I asked him to repeat the offer more slowly so I could relish the words, especially the ‘time and money’ ones.
“Can we actually go to a sit down restaurant?” I asked, in my most humble voice.
“We sure can,” he replied, cheerfully, like a true benefactor.
“Okay, I’m in,” I replied. “I’m on my way.”
And so it came to be on a day when spring blew away the cobwebs of winter and the sun burned the grass green and the sky turned the softest shade of baby blue, the three of us set off on our adventure.
It was easy. It was fun and it was just nice. There is a lot of be said for being out and about on a clear spring day.
We ate at a sit down restaurant, stuffing ourselves with tales of family history and the way we were back in the day.
And then we piled into my nephew’s Dodge Ram and off we drove for part two of the adventure.
We browsed greenhouses where our senses were pleasantly assaulted with wonderful sights and smells that made us all believe in the promises of spring and in tiny plants shooting bravely towards the sun.
And, finally the afternoon came to a close and we drove home.
And so that’s how one simple act of kindness turned an ordinary day into an extra-ordinary one.
As I ponder this happening, I realize that I should ‘play forward’ the act of kindness in some way to someone else.
And, of course, that leaves me slightly perplexed.
I’m sure there are many people out there who would benefit from an act of kindness, but who shall it be?
It seems there are about a million options.
I think about all the people who go through the Tim Horton’s lineup and how sometimes nice people buy coffee for the people ahead of them.
I believe that is called a random act of kindness and it does seem like a good idea.
On the other hand, it would be nice to do an act of kindness to someone who is not a stranger. Perhaps, even a family member.
As I write this, I’ve been thinking about it (the act of kindness) a lot, but as of yet have done nothing, even though the saying, ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions’ keeps playing in my head like a broken record.
But one thing I do know. I will play it forward because of acts of kindness should not exist in solitutde.
They need to be played forward!
Treena Mielke is the editor of the Rimbey Review.