masterwordsmith-unplugged

Since 3pm this afternoon, I have been sitting at my computer fiddling with Coreldraw Version 11.0 to improve my photo-editing skills. It has been a very good lesson in patience, a virtue that I need so much in my life. Even my family members cannot believe how I can doggedly try and try despite making so many blunders or making no headway. Anyway, the hours of perseverance paid off and I did three pieces, each better than the previous. Feeling very satisfied, I emailed my kind teacher to share the good news and then went on to read and to select articles for this evening's post.

Just yesterday, I had a brief chat with blog reader UP41 whom I have never met or spoken to. He suggested a few topics for my blog and I was very pleased with his splendid input. One of the topics he suggested was respect and kindness because we live in a very cruel world indeed. I was deeply moved when I read the following story and would like to share it with you, with the hope that we can all make the world a better place by spreading a little bit of love and kindness around. Take care and have a lovely Sunday tomorrow! Do leave a comment to share your views. Thanks!

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I was in a drugstore looking at some items when I noticed three people standing on line at the prescription counter. The last person was a young woman with a crying baby. It was obvious the baby was sick. When she got to the head of the line, the pharmacist said he was sorry but they did not have that medication on hand but that they could get it in about 2 hours.

One tear just trickled down the young woman’s cheek. Suddenly an older gentleman who was sitting on the side came over and asked if he could be of assistance. The young woman looked up at him bewildered. The man said that he didn’t have much to do and that he had to wait for his prescription, so if she wanted, he could deliver her prescription to her home.

“But I don’t even know you,” she said. “I won’t come in your house,” he replied. “I’ll just leave it by the door and ring the bell.” “But why?” she asked. The man looked at her with kind eyes and said, “I live on a really limited income and my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren all live up north and I rarely get to see them so this would a privilege for me.”

With that, people in the store started nodding their heads to the young woman with approval. She mumbled okay, wrote her address on a piece of paper and gave it to the man. The baby stopped crying and the young woman left the store. By that time, I was crying. I walked over to the gentleman, introduced myself and told him how wonderful it was that he was so kind.

Michael was 82 years old. We became friends and had breakfast and lunch a few times.

About three months later, he phoned me to tell me that the young woman had told all of her friends about what he had done by delivering the prescription. They all chipped in and sent him airfare to visit his family. Another wonderful act of kindness and it was the last time Michael saw his family before he died.

When I am having a tough day, I recall this total act of unsolicited kindness and it always brings to me waves of gratitude.

We are surrounded by kindness every day. Unfortunately, we get so wrapped in life that we forget to stop and smell the roses, as they say, or witness the acts of kindness that surround us each day. Little acts of kindness and love are the best parts of one’s life.

As the Dalai Lama said, “When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us to develop inner happiness and peace.”

So, got out today and experience the kindness around you. Bathe in it and be kind to others. You may discover that being kind to others is actually being kind to yourself.