2, 3, 4, 5 Ah, Ah, Ah

 

This is a picture from today.  I pulled out my fall sweaters this morning and enjoyed the way my orange sweater matched the fallen leaves as I walked to my car to go to church.  Such a lovely day here in St. Louis.  Hope it is pretty where you are too!! 

Here are some more acts of kindness - only 955 to go:

Act of Kindness #2: Giving a ride today to a friend whose car is still in the shop.

Act of Kindness #3:  I had offered to give him a ride before and after his other attempts to arrange his own transportation fell through, he took me up on the offer.  Unfortunantly, he slept through his alarm and I had to leave.  But I showed up, so I'm counting it :) 

Today I offered to take him grocery shopping this week.  Apparently he had asked several friends to take him, but they had all forgotten.  Ah, the value of this goal. My friend will eat.

Act of Kindness #4:  And, my favorite - same friend.  We had a meeting we both needed to attend.  He had asked for a ride (he walks to school even when his car is working, and he is on my way), so I picked him up.  The meeting was over lunch time, and in my observations of him, he generally doesn't think ahead terribly well, so I packed two lunches that morning.  We got to the meeting and he asked if lunch was going to be served.  To which I responded, "I brought two lunches, because if I know you, you wouldn't have thought of it."  Somewhat belittling perhaps, but he smiled at that.  I think people like to be known.  He is a real foodie so I knew my simple lunch consisting of an orange and a ham and cheese sandwich wouldn't really hit the spot, but it was the best I could do. 

Act of Kindness #5:  Different friend - I'm not sure if this counts as an act of kindness, because in some ways it is self benefitting.  I cleaned a friend's office.  Okay, I work with this friend and it drives me insane that once a file ends up in his office we can't find it anymore.  It is also inhibiting to a thriving and efficient office when the other people in the office can't find things or clients have to wait because somewhere in this rediculously messy office the document is hiding.  He left on vacation.  I cleaned his office.  Hey, we are all happier with his office a little cleaner.

Act of Kindness #6:  Did the dishes at work for co-workers.



Experiences I am grateful for:  The lovely weather.  Perfect temperatures and TREES!!  I spent last week in Utah.  I love Utah for the social life, but I am a person who loves my trees and I love having them EVERYWHERE.  Hence, my picture on the top of the blog.  The trees here are changing and running on Saturday in the local park was so lovely it reminded me of Paris.  This picture doesn't do this tree any justice colorwise, but I loved the blue sky and the yellow of the tree. 

I am also grateful for a person named Mary Pinkston.  She is so funny.  I went to a bonfire on Saturday night and laughed and laughed.  I love her sense of humor. 

 

I am also grateful for the lunch a friend delivered to my office the other day.  It made getting out the door on Friday much easier since I had one less thing to worry about - a lunch. Being on the receiving end of kindness reminds you of how helpful it is - but even more so, how validating that someone cares enough to think of you.  It also made me realize that I just wish I was a little more creative in my giving. 

Lastly, my running buddy Lana.  The thing I love most about her is her consistency and honesty.  We did yoga on Friday morning, went running on Saturday morning, and I didn't know that she was teaching Sunday School on Sunday morning until I got to class.  In listening to her lesson, I noticed that she is exactly the same person teaching her lesson as she is running around the park or doing yoga.  The thing I love about that is that she isn't a show.  There is no fake smile, there is no pretending, there is no act.  She is Lana, in all instances.  She tells things as they are even at the risk that they may not make her look good.  I think sometimes she may feel like she doesn't always fit in, but I love her just like that.  Truthful, spunky, and most of all, genuine.