The other day I was reading a blog on Active Rain about giving and it inspired this blog because it has occurred to me that the everyday things we can do for people that they do not expect are not only a surprise for them but a grateful feeling for ourselves.
I am talking about little things and things that do not necessarily require lots of money. I have always felt that I could not do much for people because I did not have a lot of money. This is not a good way to think because there are millions of things we can do to make someone else's life nicer everyday without spending money!
There was a time in my life when I had two small children, was recently divorced without any cash and it was a week before Christmas. I met this older guy and he was asking me what my children wanted for Christmas and was I getting it for them. Well, I didn't lie about it, but I didn't really tell him the whole scope of what was happening in my life. I guess it must have shown though, because I was extremely upset about my children not getting Christmas presents! To make a long story short, he handed me a couple of bills and said. "Listen, I have the money and I would like to give this to you for your children. I have a big family and we all have what we need, so please let me do this for Christmas." Normally I would never have accepted anything from a stranger, but these were my kids we were talking about! So I thanked him and left, with the money in my hand all the way home. I couldn't look at it until I got home for some reason. When I did look, I saw it was $200. which at that time was a large amount! I was able to buy both my boys presents to open on Christmas morning.
At that time, I vowed to return that favor, to other people as they came into my life whenever I could. We never know what something like that means to someone who doesn't have it! I will always remember that man, his generosity and ability to make me feel like he was doing something for himself so as not to hurt my pride.
He was doing something for himself! Not only me. It took me years to realize it and get to the point where I could actually start doing the same thing.
The moral here is that no matter how small something seems to you, to the receiver its large! And theres nothing like the feeling of giving to someone who needs it.
***I wrote this post and had it in my word program. Then I read Marianna Wagner's post today and decided to post this also.
For the Holidays, a Random Act of Kindness can make all the difference!
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