A wonderful reminder of how kindness is so crucial

This is a story from a cab driver:




I arrived at the address and honked the horn.


After waiting a few minutes I walked to the door and knocked.


'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice.


I could hear something being dragged across the floor..




After a long pause, the door opened.


A small woman in her 90's stood before me..


She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it,


Like somebody out of a 1940's movie.





By her side was a small nylon suitcase.


The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years.


All the furniture was covered with sheets.





There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters.


In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.




'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said.


I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.




She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb..

 She kept thanking me for my kindness.


'It's nothing', I told her..


'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated'.


'Oh, you're such a good boy', she said.


When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked,


'Could you drive through downtown?'


'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly..



'Oh, I don't mind,' she said.


'I'm in no hurry.


I'm on my way to a hospice'.



I looked in the rear-view mirror.


Her eyes were glistening.


'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice..


'The doctor says I don't have very long.


'I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.


'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.


For the next two hours, we drove through the city.


She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.



We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived


When they were newlyweds.


She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once


Been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.






Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner


And would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing..


As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said,


'I'm tired. Let's go now'.
 

We drove in silence to the address she had given me.


It was a low building, like a small convalescent home,


With a driveway that passed under a portico.

 Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up..


They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.


They must have been expecting her.


I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door.


The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.


'How much do I owe you?'


She asked, reaching into her purse.



'Nothing,' I said


'You have to make a living,' she answered.



'There are other passengers,' I responded.


Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug.


She held onto me tightly.




'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said.


'Thank you.'


I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.


Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.



I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift.


I drove aimlessly lost in thought.


For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk.


What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,


Or one who was impatient to end his shift?


What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once,


then driven away?






On a quick review,


I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.



We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.


But great moments often catch us unaware - beautifully


wrapped in what others may consider a small one.




PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY


WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID


~BUT~


THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER


HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.





You won't get any big surprise


in 10 days if you pass this story on to ten people.

But, you might help make the world a little kinder


and more compassionate by sending it on and


reminding us that often it is the random acts of


kindness that most benefit all of us.

Save The Limes

I'm currently volunteering to Save The Limes Care Centre in Dartford and invite you to get involved.

LISTEN LIVE TO KMFM TODAY AND TOMORROW FOR COVERAGE ON THE PROPOSED CLOSURE OF THE LIMES CARE CENTRE. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN ONLINE.

The Limes Care Centre is a much needed part of the community. It cares for elderly members of the community through it's day centre and enablement facilities. It'ss a care centre to enable older people regain their health and confidence and the opportunity to assess their needs ready for them to return to their own home or to make aware their needs to move to a care or nursing home for their own safety and dignity.

The Limes Day Centre provides a lovely community spirit, cooked hot meal, 5 days a week, entertainment and a social life and may be the Service Users only opportunity to get out of their home. It is also helps their carers to have a few hours of respite.

Just 2 years ago KCC visited us congratulating us on receiving 3 star excellent rating from the Care Quality Commission, but now they say the beds cost too much and as we are not making a profit for them they don't care about shutting us down. We don't agree that profit must be more important than people. Our service users are not just numbers, they are real people with real issues, real lives and real views.

Often, if elderly service users had gone straight home they would be returning into hospital quickly, as they either fall again or was not medically fit to be discharged in the 1st place. If The Limes closes down elderly people will get stuck in hospital bed blocking. If they are not assessed properly they get sent home inappropriately only to be returned to Darent Valley A&E which will cause more work for NHS staff & stress for the elderly patients and their families.  

If The Limes closes as Kent County Council wish then these elderly people will have literally nowhere to go. Again these are not just numbers, it could be your mum, your brother, your aunt, your neighbour or your friend who needs our service. Many people don't even know we exist and if we don't spread the word it won't exist any longer. This would mean that when you really need us, The Limes won't be here to help you anymore.

Act of Kindness Received!

I was delighted to open the pages of Spirit and Destiny magazine last week to discover a mention of this blog! It made my day to see my hard work appreciated! So if you followed the mention and landed on my blog, welcome to the kindness zone!

I'd really like to get you all commiting to acts of kindness yourselves and passing on those that you receive to others. If you see someone struggling in the street, don't leave it to someone else-they are in your view because it's you who can help them. Every time you do something good for someone else, tell them you'd like them to pass on the act of kindness in some way to someone else. 

For example, if you see someone struggling with their shopping, offer to lend a hand. When they accept, why not give them 2 kindness cards, one that they can use to pass the kindness on and one to keep to register the act of kindness they received on this blog. I'll shortly be uploading cards that you can print yourself to make passing on the act of kindness so much easier.

Spread the kindness lovely people and together we can make our communities a happy place to wake up every morning!

Send a smile through the mail

I went into the Marie Curie charity shop last week and bought some handmade cards to help raise funds for the charity. I then spent a very worthwhile couple of hours this evening personalising them and writing get well messages inside for children who need, more than anyone else, something to smile about! 

The children I've written to all have various health conditions that make them very poorly. They are registered on the site mentioned below: Postpals, and post information about themselves and their conditions in the hope that people will see it and want to write to them and cheer them up! What a great idea. I've read their profiles and have chosen little gifts to send with the cards that I hope will give them something to look forward to. I really hope that by reading this, you feel you'd like to join me in brightening the day of a child who'd love to hear from you!

It doesn't have to cost anything (there's no requirement to send gifts), there's no signing up and no hassle. 

Here's a quote from one of the children on the site: "Anna-Mae gets such enormous pleasure from receiving mail from all around the world; it’s difficult to put into words. She sees the people that sends mail as her friends, and because of this her confidence has grown. It has even opened a door for making friends at school, as she takes her mail into school to show her class so making an opening to talk about herself and her problems in a very positive way. Her confidence in herself and her abilities has also grown, as she loves to reply to the mail. (time allowing)"- Anne, Mum to Anna Mae C, aged 10, Charcot-Marie-Tooth 

So what are you waiting for? Read a story on the site, get in touch, brighten their day and sit back and relax and know that you're responsible for putting a smile on a sick child's face.

Post Pals - Post a Smile on a Sick Child's Face

Post Pals - Post a Smile on a Sick Child's Face

Take a look at this website and spread some loving kindness to children who are seriously ill. It was set up by a girl who is bedridden with M.E. and gives the public the opportunity to send cards, gifts and emails to very poorly children and brighten their day! Have a look at the site below and spend a few moments spreading the love!

Be Kind To Others...To Be Kind To Yourself

I've just read a fantastic article by Lucy Hunter in Spirit & Destiny magazine that really hit home. I'd like to share some of the key points with you on this blog since it's so relevant to the wave of kindness initiative.

There's lots of research showing that being kind to others is good for you. David R. Hamilton says, in his book, 'Why Kindness is Good For You' that 'kindness makes you happier...in fact, it can make us very happy indeed'. Studies in the US even show that depression can be improved by being kind to others.

Research done by author Allan Luks, 'The Healing Power of Doing Good' shows that people who help others suffer fewer bouts of colds and flu, fewer migraines, eat better and sleep better. Even the symptoms of asthma and lupus can be alleviated by helping others. 29% of helpers in the study even said they had more energy overall!

Psychiatrist Harold G. Koenig, author of 'Kindness And Joy' says, 'there's evidence that kindness creates changes in blood flow that could help lower blood pressure...being generous may also protect against stress hormones such as cortisol.'

Dasher Keltner, author of 'Born To Be Good' explains that the vagus nerve originates at the top of the spinal cord and some experts believe it reacts to kindness. The vagus nerve reduces our heart rate and new research shows it's closely connected to receptors for oxytocin, a neurotransmitter involved in trust, love, generosity and maternal bonding. People who have high vagus nerve activation in a resting state have been found in studies to be the most compassionate.'

People who volunteer get to help others and this research proves they get to help themselves to a better life in the process!

Acts of Kindness: Pass it on!

Have you had a kindness shown?

Pass it on;
'Twas not given for thee alone,
Pass it on;
Let it travel down the years,
Let it wipe another's tears,
'Til in Heaven the deed appears -
Pass it on.
~Henry Burton, Pass It On

We are all part of the same community on this planet regardless of colour, race, nationality, religion, age, gender, sexuality, wealth, language or anything else that separates people around the globe. Kindness transcends every language: 'Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see'. ~Mark Twain. Let's spread the loving kindness and unite the world in peace and harmony. Spreading kindness is not about getting something in return (other than the feel fab feeling). 'You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you'. ~John Wooden.

Life is hard sometimes. We all have some sort of personal struggle at times in our lives. Be empathic towards others- we all experience emotions of fear, anxiety and sadness at some point. Open your eyes and realise that you are not alone in your battles and take the opportunity to show others that they are not alone in theirs. 'Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle'. ~Plato

This blog is designed to help you to help others without the need for reciprocity or glory. 'Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out'. ~Frank A. Clark. You might leave chocolate in someone's pigeon hole at work if you know they need cheering up, you might buy flowers for the office, just to brighten someone's day, you might pay the toll for the person behind you...anything is possible, just remember you are doing it for them with an open heart.

Please spread the word of this blog and follow it's progress as we all pull together and help each other. You may help someone by offering to help them carry their load, offering to help a neighbour with their shopping, taking the time to stop and listen to someone who is upset, offering a sincere compliment, offering your skills for free, donating to a cause whether financially or materially, offering your time as a volunteer or anything else that will benefit someone else. 'Too 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 of which have the potential to turn a life around'. ~Leo Buscaglia

Be the change that you want to see in the world-the biggest mistake you can make is to do nothing because you can only do a little.

'Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again'. ~Og Mandino

With Love, light and kindness

Laura

I've made postcards to hand out to others when I do something to help them. The idea is that when you receive an act of kindness, you pass it on and help someone else. The postcards will be printed with this blog address and my email address: bethechangeyouwantintheworld@yahoo.co.uk

You don't need postcards to join in, but if you'd like to make your own, you can do it here:

http://www.vistaprint.co.uk/vp/ns/splash/splash_postcards.aspx?pfid=084&xnav=pricingdetails