Wednesday, September 9, 2015

The Kindness of Making Life a Little Easier

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."
~ Aesop

Spouses are in the habit of performing acts of kindness for their partners.  It is an everyday occurrence.  Many times, the smallest kindnesses are done without great thought.  But that doesn't mean that they lack impact.

In our family (as I imagine in many others), it is a mad scramble in the morning to get several children and two adults ready and on their way to school and work.  "Do you need your violin today?" "Oh no, I can't find my shoes..."  "Keys?"  Any small challenge can derail our semblance of a morning routine and thwart our efforts to get out the door in time.  Against that backdrop of madness is a small kindness that my husband does every day -- probably without giving it much thought:  filling the children's water bottles.  I appreciate it more than he knows. 

After my husband leaves with the first group, I finish packing my son's lunch and invariably look for his water bottle.  I usually spy it on the counter by the fridge, which is a good sign.  I hold my breath for a nanosecond until I lift the bottle and feel the weight of its contents.  Immediately, I feel relieved.  One less thing to handle.  My son's water bottle in particular is a challenge to fill because it requires pouring ice and water from a cup and trying to get it in the not-so-wide neck -- not what you want to be doing as you rush out the door.  As I grab the water bottle and struggle with my too-heavy purse, the lunch box and the keys, I silently thank my husband for making my life a little easier.  Every time.

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