The Kindness of Grandmotherly Advice

“Grandmothers always have time to talk and make you feel special.”

~ Catherine Pulsifer

Grandmothers can make you feel special – even when they belong to someone else.  At school recently, my son was sitting on the floor and drawing an owl from a photo.  The grandmother of one of his classmates walked by and complimented his drawing.  She then suggested turning the photo and his drawing upside down, and drawing from that perspective because, she explained, he would see the shapes more clearly. It worked, my son reported.

A Kindness Hero

“The simple act of caring is heroic.”

~ Edward Albert

A middle school boy I know shared that during lunch time at school, he saw a girl he didn’t know sitting on a bench and crying.  He went up and asked her if she was okay.  Then he introduced himself.  She never said what was wrong, but hopefully she understood that someone cared that she was upset.

The Kindness of a Favor

“The ideal man takes joy in doing favors for others.”

~ Aristotle

Nearly everyone I know groans – at least, internally – when someone in another city or country asks her to bring a non-essential item from the city where the traveler is in to the other place.  Many times, these favors entail significant time in locating the goods and then the additional hassle of packing them in your suitcase.  My steadfast friend actually volunteered for this duty when a friend in another city commented that she was trying to obtain an item that she could not find in her own city.  And my friend did not even hint that running the errand or lugging the item in her bag was an inconvenience.

The Kindness of Being Helpful

“We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don’t know.”

~ W.H. Auden

One of my mom friends organizes a wonderful program at our church – people buy toys and clothing for children on behalf of their parents who are in jail.  I recently called her because I had questions about some of the items that I needed to purchase as well as the deadline to get the items to her.  She patiently answered my questions, offered suggestions on where to purchase the items and told me that she would help with whatever I did not have time to do.

The Kindness of Christmas Card Advice

“Christmas, my child, is love in action.  Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.”

~ Dale Evans

Years ago, probably a couple of decades by now, one of my college friends told me that she always writes her Christmas cards during the Thanksgiving holiday, so that they are ready to go out early in the Christmas season.  It made perfect sense to me, so I have tried to do that ever since.  And every time I sit down to address my Christmas cards, I think of my friend and am grateful for her advice.  I aim to send my cards on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  Sometimes I make it; sometimes I’m close enough.  But her advice has definitely saved me from writing my cards at the last minute.  I thought about my friend again this year as I began addressing my cards during the Thanksgiving break.  Not surprisingly, on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, I received her card.

The Kindness of Sharing Memories

“The most important thing in the world is family and love.”

~ John Wooden

My father would have celebrated his 80^th birthday today, but he died 17 years ago – a day before his 63^rd.  I enjoy remembering my dad and tell my family ahead of time that we will celebrate his birthday.  My son remembered and woke me up with “Happy Birthday.”  I have to admit that I was a little confused.  A little later in the morning – and once I was fully awake , my siblings and I shared memories and photos of my father on our group chat.  My family and I went to a restaurant and sang Happy Birthday to my father over dessert.  My brother took his children to my father’s grave.  My brother shared that he thought my father enjoyed the visit.  We all miss my dad, but remembering together gives us comfort and reminds us of his love.

The Kindness of Putting Up with Awkwardness

“Love is when the other person’s happiness is more important than your own.”

~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

I recently heard from one of my college friends.  He shared how blessed he felt to have spent Thanksgiving with his three adult children, one of whom is already married.  It involved some travel on his part.  And spending time, including a drive back home, with his ex-wife.  But the time spent with his children was well worth the awkwardness.