Kindness and a Pizza Delivery

"Lennon was very helpful.  What he taught me seems completely obvious: he expected people to treat each other well."
~ Annie Leibovitz

When the pizza delivery gentleman arrived with a recent pizza order, I asked him how much it was.  He looked at the sticker that lists the price on the box and told me, but then immediately said, "I think that sounds like too much."  He began calculating the costs of the various items and then said he would call the restaurant to double-check.  And he was right -- the price was $5 less than I was being charged.

The Kindness of Peace... and Friendship

"Rejoice in the Lord always.  I shall say it again: rejoice!  Your kindness should be known to all.  The Lord is near.  Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.  Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
~ Philippians 4:4-7

These verses from Philippians are among my favorites.  And I am reminded of them every day when I see a gift tag that I keep on my computer keyboard.  The tag says simply, "The greatest gift we give each other is peace of mind."  The tag is from one of my dearest mom friend (yep, the one who moved away).  She attached it to a gift she gave me and it is a reference to the peace that we each feel when the other steps in to help, usually with our children.  Peace of mind is a precious gift and when we can give it to each other, it is priceless.

The Kindness of an Unexpected Lunch Treat

"A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

One of my favorite people is a former boss of mine.  A true grande dame, she is elegant, wise and a joy to be around.  She celebrated a birthday recently and so we made plans to go to lunch.  I arrived a few minutes early, gave the hostess my credit card and explained that I wanted to make sure that I paid for lunch.  As I waited for my friend at the front of the restaurant, a waiter came to tell me that she was already seated.  We had a lovely lunch as always.  I was a bit smug, content in the knowledge that I would finally be able to treat her.  When the waiter brought the bill, he gave it to her and returned my credit card.  "Sorry," he said, "She had already taken care of it."  I looked at her in disbelief and she smiled with satisfaction.

The Kindness of a Good Chuckle

"You take away all the other luxuries in life, and if you can make someone smile and laugh, you have given the most special gift: happiness."
~ Brad Garrett

There is nothing like a good chuckle at the end of a long and crazy day.  And thanks to technology, after a recent terrible day, I was able to twist open a bottle of Perrier and settle in for a long chat -- and many chuckles -- with my dear friend who is now in Australia.  My friend is funny and happy, and she raised my spirits.  Some people may prefer a glass of wine after a hectic day, but I will take my fizzy water and a good laugh with a dear friend any day.

Kindness, a Veteran and a New Apartment

"Helping others isn't a chore; it is one of the greatest gifts there is."
~ Liya Kebede

There is a veteran who stands at an intersection that I frequently drive by.  The other day, he shared that he was going to be moving into an apartment and asked if I knew anyone who had extra plates or flatware that he might have.  I mentioned this in passing to my mother who promptly went through her kitchen and showed up at my home with a box of carefully wrapped glasses and flatware for him as well as towels.  And then she said she was going to the store to buy him a set of dishes.

The Kindness of a Joyful Greeting

"What gives me the most hope every day is God's grace; knowing that his grace is going to give me strength for whatever I face, knowing that nothing is a surprise to God."
~ Rick Warren

As I was thinking of my day yesterday, one of the things that popped into my mind was the very joyful greeting that I received from someone I know.  Every time I see this woman, she gives me a big smile and a hug.  And I have realized that she makes me feel as though everything is fine.  Naturally, I love running into her.  The interesting thing is that life has not always been easy for this woman.  She had had her share of challenges, but she seems to always face them head on with faith, grace and determination.  And her example gives others hope. 

Kindness, Friday Nights and Pizza

"I advocate that every woman be a part of a circle, and a circle that meets at least once a month, or if you can't do that, once every two months or every four months."
~ Alice Walker

I have always wondered about play groups...  Years ago, it occurred to me that play groups are really about the moms -- not the children.  Under the guise of getting the children together to play, mothers come together for connection and support.  Now way past the play group years, a couple of other mothers and I have fallen into the very comfortable rhythm of Friday nights at our local pizza place.  We go with our children; they sit at their own tables and we at ours.  The evenings have been known to last for four hours.  And I believe they mean as much to the mothers as they do to the children.  We talk about everything -- from the silliest of things to clothing to family to religion.  When a couple of weeks go by and we have not met up, I find myself missing them and our conversations.  The kindness of their love and support means the world to me.