Helping Hands

Apparently some folks weren't impressed with having to READ so much in the last post, so I'll work at keeping this shorter. :)

I had a situation that happened at work yesterday that made me feel as if I want to do more for people. Outside of our office building, we recently had a new sidewalk put in along with new sod and a new sprinkler system. As most of us know, sod requires A LOT of water in the beginning, so the sprinklers have been running several times a day now instead of JUST at night, which is the usual. Not a big deal, right? Well, we quickly learned that if the water sprays (or is blown by the wind) TOWARD our cars in the parking lot, a horrid, thick film of junk gets on our windshields and it is impossible to get it off. When that really matters is when you're driving somewhere, facing the sun, and you realize that you can't see a thing out the windshield (again, learned by personal experience)! So, to give everyone in our building a head's up, I just sent out an e-mail, explaining what was happening and how to fix it (use vinegar & water to clean it off or go to a good carwash or park somewhere else). Needless to say, I was razzed quite a bit for sending that e-mail out. Just as I was starting to feel like a big idiot, someone made a comment to me that just encouraged me. They said, "Thank you for always taking care of us." And she was being serious. :)

Some people might say that the reactions I got were because it was a silly thing to do (sending the e-mail) and that I'm just a nerd. But you know what I felt when that serious comment was made? That things like this don't happen enough. Yes, it was just a small thing that I did but even with those kinds of things, it might matter to someone! And I do believe that people respond "oddly" or with shock or even critically because things like this just don't happen enough!! It's so "out of the norm" that I don't know if people really know HOW to react, so they just make fun of it or do whatever it is that they do. So, it just encouraged me to give a little more. Show a little kindness when it's not needed. Reach out to someone before it's asked of you. Say a kind word for no reason at all. Do something for someone without looking for something in return. Just go the extra mile and be a helping hand. It may make the world a little bit better for someone and there's just nothing better than sharing encouragement and hope with another.