I arose to the sound of the phone ringing loudly. It seemed like it had never rang louder before. I didn't make it to the phone in time, so I headed downstairs to check the answering machine. Being the wife of a State Trooper, you always assume the early morning calls are for him, never for me, they are usually wanting to call him out to work. Well, this call was for all of us. Our church was cancelled for the morning, no electricity. I was so sad. I love my church and the church family. PHOOEY! No church this morning but they will call about church in the evening. We were scheduled to talk about the kindness journey with our church family. No worries, we will be rescheduled for another day to talk about this journey.
Well, I headed back to bed, turned off the alarm and let everyone sleep in. Once everyone got up we seemed to fall into our normal routines. Aunt Paula called and wanted to know if the kids wanted to go swimming at the Flatwoods Pool with her and her family (Elliott & I were invited but I had homework and he was planning on going to the YMCA) Cody was hanging out with his friends so he didn't want to go but Miss Ellie was all over this invitation. She decided she was going to do something nice for someone at the pool...she told me she just felt like she was meant to be kind there. I got her ready and her tote bag packed and gave her a little bit of extra money for her kindness act. The wild and crazy swimmers stayed until the pool closed. Do you know what Ellie did? When she was ordering at the concession stand she paid for the person behind her. She handed them money and said apply this to whatever they order. She told me that the concession stand worker looked at her funny but she didn't care. She went back later to check with the concession stand worker and she gave Miss Ellie change from that persons order. They told Ellie that person was shocked and very thankful. When Ellie was telling me she just kept saying this makes my heart smile, I knew I was going to be kind there...I just knew it.
Well, Cody and I headed out to Family Dollar to pick up some school supplies, for me, I'm not that organized to be being the kids just yet. Well, while in the parking lot Cody & I saw an elderly lady who had just finished placing all of her items in her car and she was getting ready to head to the store to return her cart. Cody without me saying anything walked over to her and said, "I will return it for you." To be honest, I was shocked. I was probably as shocked as the lady who was on the receiving end of Cody's kindness. I was shocked because without being told and without thinking he saw a way to help, to be kind and he just did it...without thought. When we were walking into the store there was a couple behind us and he held the door for them, seemingly without giving it any thought at all. All I seemed to get accomplished was smiling at everyone and making sure I made eye contact with every single person I saw. I love doing this no matter what mood I'm in (yes, some days to do this is much harder than others) you just never know what kind of day someone else is having and you simply may be the only bright smiling face that they see that day. I just felt like the people I saw needed smiles more than anything else I could do for anyone else. I kept running into one young mother and her 2 children no matter what part of the store I was in. She looked tired and worn out. She had that look of young mother. I told her how pretty she was and that her children were breathtaking. She immediately lit up like a Christmas tree at Christmas time. Wow! Simple gesture that hopefully helped brighten her day. I know on days that are difficult for me when I get a smile or an uplifting comment it carries me further than just about anything anyone could ever do for me. Be extra kind to people you never know what kind of battle that they are facing. When Cody & I were leaving Family Dollar someone (a non Family Dollar employee) held the door open for us.
Which brings me to the question I have posed many times...are people becoming nicer or am I more in touch with kindness and that is what I want to see? It is a happy world, the world of kindness. The world where we all live thinking of others before ourselves. I like to see the good in people, I like to see kindness, I like to see the glass is half full and not half empty.
Elliott's act of kindness involved him taking care of us. He mowed the grass so Cody didn't have to, He took the trash out and cleaned the gutters. He had a harder kindness job than any of us. However, that isn't what is important. What is important, is you do something kind where you feel led. Everyone can be kind...when was the last time you were kind? When was the last time someone was kind to you? If you receive kindness hold it in your heart and then go tag someone else with kindness.
Go make the world a kinder place....go, be kind!! Thank you God for this kindness journey! Thank you for opening my eyes to opportunities where to be kind and thanks for allowing me to see the kindness that is happening all around me that I was missing before. Thank you God for this kindness journey! Thank you God for Elliott, Cody & Miss Ellie. God, you are soooo good to me, thank you!!!!!!
Where will we be next? Stay tuned. Until then....
On your mark, get set, be kind.
Love you to the moon & back,
Annie, Elliott, Cody & Miss Ellie
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