Do something for somebody every day for which you don't get paid. - Albert Schweitzer, philosopher, musicologist, doctor
Have you noticed when someone does something nice or gives that extra attention to detail that wasn’t asked for, how big of an impact it has on how you feel? I went to lunch with my friends, today, and the waitress was very nice, making sure we had what we needed and kept a watchful eye from a distance to be sure all her customers were well cared for. She knew we were on our lunch break, and so when she saw we were finishing our meal, she had our checks ready and we didn’t have to stand around waiting for her. It was awesome and we were able to return to work at the right time. It’s like when someone holds the door open for you, or your husband washes your car without saying anything. It’s special. I really appreciate people who give me that consideration. In turn, isn’t it nice when we try to give that same consideration and appreciation to others? Even small opportunities to help others make a difference.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Isn't Nature Grand?
My husband and I have a pair of Clematis growing on a new arbor off our back deck. My husband scored on a new arbor at Home Depot when they were having a fantastic sale. It was a $100 arbor for $20
! Wow. He put it together so it could replace the one that fell apart this last winter. The Clematis clearly love this new arbor, as you can see (my husband took these photos). The one on the right, we actually thought was white, not pink. We were thrilled to see how beautiful it is, since the plant had never been vigorous. Now, you can see how robust it has become with vibrant blooms that we have never seen before. We just k
eep looking at both of them, amazed at their beauty and size. It has been a joy to nurture the plants and trees around our home. Our garden is growing by leaps and bounds. We will soon have tomatoes and cucumbers. Our spring weather has been interesting, so say the least (unusually unpredictable and violent), but the plants have been loving the high humidity and moisture accompanied by intermittant periods of sun. Currently, it's cloudy and cool, but tomorrow is supposed to have some sunshine. That will give them something to grow about! We have noticed that more people have put in gardens, this spring. No doubt, this is due in large part to the economy as well as the "growing" desire to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. We have grown a garden virtually every year, and look forward to the exceptional taste that comes from food freshly grown and picked right outside our door. We never seem to grow enough peppers, though. We love salsa and we cook with lots of green peppers and despite our best planning, we have yet to have enough. We always have lots of extra fruits and veggies to share with out neighbors and co-workers, though. What a blessing.
! Wow. He put it together so it could replace the one that fell apart this last winter. The Clematis clearly love this new arbor, as you can see (my husband took these photos). The one on the right, we actually thought was white, not pink. We were thrilled to see how beautiful it is, since the plant had never been vigorous. Now, you can see how robust it has become with vibrant blooms that we have never seen before. We just k
eep looking at both of them, amazed at their beauty and size. It has been a joy to nurture the plants and trees around our home. Our garden is growing by leaps and bounds. We will soon have tomatoes and cucumbers. Our spring weather has been interesting, so say the least (unusually unpredictable and violent), but the plants have been loving the high humidity and moisture accompanied by intermittant periods of sun. Currently, it's cloudy and cool, but tomorrow is supposed to have some sunshine. That will give them something to grow about! We have noticed that more people have put in gardens, this spring. No doubt, this is due in large part to the economy as well as the "growing" desire to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. We have grown a garden virtually every year, and look forward to the exceptional taste that comes from food freshly grown and picked right outside our door. We never seem to grow enough peppers, though. We love salsa and we cook with lots of green peppers and despite our best planning, we have yet to have enough. We always have lots of extra fruits and veggies to share with out neighbors and co-workers, though. What a blessing.
Monday, June 1, 2009
The Act of Kindness
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. - Aesop, Greek author of fables
I don’t know about you, but when people are kind to me, I can’t help but feel better and more alive. Even if it’s just something little like a smile, can be huge if I’ve had a bad day. It’s like opening the door for someone when their arms are full or letting someone cut in front of you in the grocery line because they clearly are in a hurry or they have only a couple of items to your 20. When we are kind to people we come in contact with, the cycle begins to spread. Traffic is the worst. I have to remind myself that it’s okay to let someone in when the traffic is stringing dozens of cars back. Being kind spreads the rewards. We don’t know if that person we just smiled at or lent a helping hand to wasn’t having the worst day of their life, and our act of kindness, though small, changed the direction of their day. I intend to increase the kindnesses I can do for others on a daily basis. How about you?
I don’t know about you, but when people are kind to me, I can’t help but feel better and more alive. Even if it’s just something little like a smile, can be huge if I’ve had a bad day. It’s like opening the door for someone when their arms are full or letting someone cut in front of you in the grocery line because they clearly are in a hurry or they have only a couple of items to your 20. When we are kind to people we come in contact with, the cycle begins to spread. Traffic is the worst. I have to remind myself that it’s okay to let someone in when the traffic is stringing dozens of cars back. Being kind spreads the rewards. We don’t know if that person we just smiled at or lent a helping hand to wasn’t having the worst day of their life, and our act of kindness, though small, changed the direction of their day. I intend to increase the kindnesses I can do for others on a daily basis. How about you?
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