~~To often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all which have the potential to turn a life around.~~ Leo Buscaglia
A close family member was contemplating suicide, believing he was worthless and no one cared. He got online to say good-bye to family when he opened an email from someone he hadn't heard from in a while. She wrote that she missed him and hoped that he was doing well because he deserved all the good things life had to offer. He called her right then and thanked her for saving his life.
I taught adults with chronic mental illness and one day took them to a local community agency for new (but used) clothes as the season was changing. If you filled out an application, you were entitled to three outfits if you qualified financially. My people did, I knew. But when we got there and they went up to the service counter, the staff member yelled at them to step back and looked at me. "What do you want me to do with 'these people'?" she asked with disgust. A very gentle group member looked ashamed and left the store. We never did go back there.
Two different situations with two different outcomes. Kindness does make a difference, whether you ever see the results of it or not. You may be someone's reason for trying to get out of bed yet another day. You may be someone's reason to continue with their quit yet another day. You may never know the good you do but I can promise you, it's there. And all it takes is a smile.....a kind word.....patience.....a touch.
Kindness has touched me here. Some utterly amazing people were kind to me here and that is the reason I finally reached that moment of "I'm done smoking". They were kind, they believed in me and it helped.
So please remember that kindness matters in that it makes people have hope....it keeps their faith in themselves alive....it brings a bit of sunshine to a sometimes dark and lonely world. Everyone should feel wanted in this world.
Thank you to my Ex-friends who made me feel like I mattered. 391 days today of no smoking and so it continues due, in part, to your kindness. I hope I am able to pass it on 🙂
Happy Monday, all!
Sheri
