share the good

The statistics are staggering.

The world is a mess.

Bad stuff happens a lot.

True. True. True.

But also.

There are good people too.

Kind people.

Friends who pick up the phone when you call and listen to you rant about the injustices in your own life. Who offer words of camaraderie and words of hope. Words of “I’m angry with you”.

Kids who see your day is heading south and make you the tiniest and cutest cup of coffee with frothy milk and sprinkled sugar, not because you really love coffee but because they do and they want you to try it and everything tastes better in a cute miniature form.

Older, retired men in your church who drop by and test your water pressure when it’s low and offer you some solutions and ideas and expect nothing in return.

The stranger who was watching me back my Yukon out of a tight tight parking situation. And he stopped what he was doing. Delayed his own plans. Walked over to me and helped me make that reverse turn with his solid directions. And he smiled and treated me with respect and I didn’t feel stupid or incapable. I just felt thankful that he noticed the gigantic size of my vehicle and the large number of cars that had parked closely in the lot after me.

And then this week, the kids and I were having dinner at Sidewall, a local pizza place. We played Uno at the table. Enjoyed our pizza (and an incredible chicken bacon salad, by the way) and I handed the waiter my card to pay the bill. He returned quickly with a smile and said, “Your meal has actually already been taken care of tonight.” 

The news stories make me sad. The piling up of wrongs and the way people use their words to tear other people down. That’s all rotten.

But just for today, let’s spread a few kind words. Share a small light in all the dark.

Would you comment or share a good deed, a kind action, a generous word that has happened to you recently?

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