Angels Everywhere!

Passing along some great advice I discovered in my email this morning. May we all take the time to be aware of whose around us and who can use just an extra touch of help! ~ Love and Hugs ~ Kat
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Years ago, when my daughter was an infant, I was traveling alone cross-country to join my husband.

I had a small sports car crammed full of household items, clothing, and one baby car-seat.

After driving for many miles, in an attempt to drive straight through, I was tired and needed to stop for a bathroom break.

The rest area was mostly deserted, on an isolated stretch of Interstate highway. I parked the car and carried my infant daughter, in her car-seat, into the restroom. Coming out again I saw a middle-aged couple hanging around. It turned out they were waiting for us!

The lady said, "We wanted to wait for you to come out and see you safely back into your car. Sometimes rest areas can be an unsafe place for a young lady. We have a daughter almost your age and we wanted to make sure you got safely back on your way".

I was very touched by their consideration. Being young, and probably naive to the potential dangers of rest areas, it had never occurred to me that there was any possibility of something going wrong. I thanked them for their kindness.

My daughter and I continued our journey and reached our destination (and my husband) safely.

I never got their names but thirty years later their kindness is not forgotten. Sometimes angels come in disguise and just because you can't see their wings it doesn't mean they aren't angels!

Remembering Our Elderly

I got this story as an email today and wanted to share it with my readers because I have seen this happen first hand, not in my own family but in the life of someone close to me. Let us never forget that we too will grow old and let us teach the younger generation that as we age we are not disposable! We have life yet to live! Enjoy and would love to hear your thoughts on this!
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As you probably know Nepal a small country full of diverse religions and populations.

As the daughter of a Hindu family there are many aspects of my religion that I have to bear in mind. But, even while keeping such strictures in mind, I want to be ale to live a life of kindness to others.

When I was sixteen my friends and I were going to watch a movie. We sat waiting for the bus but it was very late. While we were waiting another bus came by and a old lady of about seventy got off. She had bags full of her possessions in one hand and a walking stick in the other.

After a few minutes I noticed that she seemed to be looking for something. She approached a shopkeeper for help - but it wasn't forthcoming. So, I went over and asked, "What's the matter grandmother?"

She told me she was searching for the big temple because she had heard they would take her in and care for her for rest of her life.

I was suprised, to say the least. I asked her, "Don't you have your sons and daughters to take care of you?"

"I have no one in the world to look after me," she replied.

I knew I just had to ask my friends to wait for me and I walked with grandmother all the way to the temple.

I asked her about her family. She told she used to have a happy family. She had two daughters and two sons but as she grew older they started to pass her from one to the other and to see her as an unwelcome burden. Eventually they told her to leave. She begged to stay - but no one wanted to hear.

I took her hand in mine and held it tight as we walked together. She begged me not to be like the children she bore and raised, who eventually cast her out like an unnecessary utensil.

My heart cried hearing grandmother's story. How can such things happened? Why don't people realise that they too will grow older?

Arriving at the temple I left grandmother at the safe place. Her last word and her blessings very much on my mind. "You showed such kindness to me." she said. "Thank you very much for walking with me; for helping me reach the temple. God will bless you in every step of your life."

She kept her blessing hands on my head and I felt God was talking to me. I waved her bye-bye and I went back to my friends. We watched the films and returned to home.

The first thing I did when I arrived was hug my mom and dad and promise myself, 'I will always be with you, to love and care for you.'

A life of kindness can be inspired by the most unexpected things. Thank you, grandmother, for your blessings and making a real difference in my life.

Begin Today!

Too often as we get deeper into our technology we often forget about the human beings right in front of us. Those people who are desperate for contact of any kind, from a simple smile to a wonderful compliment. I thought I would take the time to offer some small ways to be kind to someone and I challenge you all to do ONE thing a day and see what a difference it makes in your OWN life!

Put them into practice and also create your own:-

1. Send someone a hand written note of thanks.
2. Make a card at home and send it to a friend for no reason.
3. Buy a lottery ticket for a stranger.
4. Put some coins in someone else’s parking meter.
5. Buy a coffee for the car behind you at Starbucks!
6. Cut your neighbor’s lawn or rake up their leaves.
7. Walk your friend’s dog.
8. Give a compliment about your waiter / waitress to his / her manager.
9. Send someone a small gift anonymously.
10. Stop and help someone replace their flat tire.
11. Let someone jump the line at the bank or grocery store.
    
12. Pay for the drinks on the next table at a restaurant.
    
13. Treat a friend to the movies for no reason.
14. Give a huge tip to someone when they least expect it.
15. Hold the door open for someone in a rush.
16. Give up your seat for someone, not just an elderly person.
17. Write notes of appreciation at least once a week.
18. Talk to a homeless person and have a “normal” conversation.
19. Pick up some trash in the road which would otherwise be lying around.
20. Compliment a work colleague for their excellence, better yet put it in writing.
21. Recommend a competitor to a potential client.
22. Give another driver your parking spot.
23. Give a bottle of water or a soft drink to a delivery person on a HOT day.
24. Help an elderly neighbor take out the trash.
    
25. Tell all your family members how much your appreciate them.
26. Leave a copy of an interesting book on a train/bus/hotel or in a waiting room.
27. Buy an inspirational book for a friend and mail or give it to them.
28. Bake some cookies and leave them with your local nurses station, doctors office, fire or police department.
    
29. Smile a lot and look people in the eye and say Hello!
30. Send a greeting card to someone just because!
    

What goes around is sure to come around – happy helping :-) Would love to hear your ideas if you want to leave a comment!

Gratefulness Comes in All Shapes and Sizes

If you read the front page story of the San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday, Dec 15, 2005, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines.

The fifty-foot whale was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her her tail, her torso and a line tugging in her mouth.

A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farallone Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her - a very dangerous proposition. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer.

They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed them gently around - she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.

The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate in the New Year -to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you. And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude.