Acts of Kindness

Chemo infusion number three happened on Tuesday. 

Chemo is unpleasant, and one way to cheer yourself up is to do something nice for someone else. So I've made cards to send to some college students who are facing the end-of-semester crunch. The cards will include several gift certificates. 

To make the cards, I used an adorable set from Ellen Hutson called Voices in My Head, designed by the uber-talented Julie Ebersole and given to me by the incredibly generous Joan B. 

Acts of kindness lift us up, don't they? I had a vivid reminder of this three weeks ago while sitting in an ER for a possible small brain bleed. That sounds mighty dramatic, but I am convinced until proven otherwise that the doctors were over-reacting. Follow-up will be at the end of November. I'm not worried. 

While waiting in an uncomfortable ER bed for 22 hours, I texted out the situation to my posse. One friend, Stephanie, immediately texted back, asking what she could do. My first response was to say, "Just pray." But then I remembered how much Stephanie loves flowers...and loves to give them. So I texted her a picture of my ugly ER view and told her that I'd love to have fresh flowers for a better view when I got home. 

Stephanie came through! 

A few days later, my friend Zandra told me how happy Stephanie was that I'd ASKED her do DO something specific, something related to what she loves, something that filled her with joy. Zandra has driven our son Jack to classes a few times now when his regular ride could not. I get a single rose delivered every Monday...no name, just the words "Keep looking up...He's got you." George's employer has dropped Kroger on us three times, and others have brought sweets, soup, lasagna, cakes, flowers, tea, and other lovely gifts. 

Too often, we put people off. "I'm fine." "No, we're good." But we are not fine, and we are not good, and we need each other's acts of kindness. There are no small acts of kindness. Even the most humble dandelion flower handed to us by a child fills our hearts up and makes us feel better.

Don't hesitate to ask for those small things that might help. Don't steal someone else's blessing by saying, "We don't need anything." 

Ask for those small acts of kindness. You might even get a HUGE rose and hydrangea arrangement!

Mercy, grace, peace, love, and gratitude,

Susan