Hope everyone has a very merry Christmas. This is always such a wonderful time of the year. The spirit of peace, goodwill, and giving to others is in the air. If only this spirit could last all the year. I get great pleasure in the giving to others. This year, as I have been doing for the last few years, I donated to Toys for Tots. I like the the thought that the toys I donate will brighten the Christmas for children who may otherwise receive nothing. It is even more important in these hard economic times when the need is greatest.
The spirit of this season encouraged me to commit a random act of kindness. I cleaned out my closet to get rid of clothes I no longer wanted or needed. I had a nice, warm jacket and some shirts, and decided to give them to a needy person. Whenever I went out in my van, I looked out for a homeless person to give them to. I could not seem to find anyone. But, yesterday, Ernie (my nurse), and I pulled into a parking lot along the San Diego waterfront to wait till my brother's plane arrived at Lindbergh Field. As we pulled in to the parking lot we spotted a homeless man walking along the waterfront. He was all alone and was talking to himself. I had found, my recipient of my random act of kindness. Ernie, and I approached him and asked if he needed a jacket and some shirts. He said yes and we handed over the clothes. He was so grateful and couldn't stop thanking me. My small gesture was a big deal for him.
He was down and out with no permanent place to live, and living out of motels. We listened politely to his paranoid story that the government was after him because he was an assassin. Even though his story was crazy, we stayed a little while longer to listen to him. We took away some off his loneliness for a brief time It felt good for him to have someone to talk to. I felt great the rest of the day knowing that I had helped a person in need. It may have been a small gesture, but it brightened some one's day. That made it well worth it.
I would encourage all of you to commit a random of kindness, no matter how small a gesture it may be. It is a great feeling and is part of the spirit of giving of this season. But, all through the year this spirit should be encouraged.
The spirit of this season encouraged me to commit a random act of kindness. I cleaned out my closet to get rid of clothes I no longer wanted or needed. I had a nice, warm jacket and some shirts, and decided to give them to a needy person. Whenever I went out in my van, I looked out for a homeless person to give them to. I could not seem to find anyone. But, yesterday, Ernie (my nurse), and I pulled into a parking lot along the San Diego waterfront to wait till my brother's plane arrived at Lindbergh Field. As we pulled in to the parking lot we spotted a homeless man walking along the waterfront. He was all alone and was talking to himself. I had found, my recipient of my random act of kindness. Ernie, and I approached him and asked if he needed a jacket and some shirts. He said yes and we handed over the clothes. He was so grateful and couldn't stop thanking me. My small gesture was a big deal for him.
He was down and out with no permanent place to live, and living out of motels. We listened politely to his paranoid story that the government was after him because he was an assassin. Even though his story was crazy, we stayed a little while longer to listen to him. We took away some off his loneliness for a brief time It felt good for him to have someone to talk to. I felt great the rest of the day knowing that I had helped a person in need. It may have been a small gesture, but it brightened some one's day. That made it well worth it.
I would encourage all of you to commit a random of kindness, no matter how small a gesture it may be. It is a great feeling and is part of the spirit of giving of this season. But, all through the year this spirit should be encouraged.