Handing Out Happiness

Here's a wonderful story to inspire you to find out what you can do today to make a difference. Trust me, it will pay you back in more ways than ever before. Enjoy ~ Kat

This said, I would like to share my story, not because I want to be thought well of by others but rather because I have discovered a recipe for happiness that I'm sure someone can benefit from.

So here it is.

It is hard for me to keep a smile on my face during certain times of the year and this is one of them. With the impending arrival of Valentine's Day I found myself thinking that if I didn't make a concerted effort to put myself in a good humor I would very quickly find myself sliding into depression.

You see, I haven't received chocolates, cards, flowers or tokens of love since 1999 when my husband was killed in a car accident. He always brought me flowers for Valentine's Day (and birthdays, and special occasions, and some days for no reason at all) and it's hard for me to see all of the advertising and reminders of the love that now only exists in my memories.

Anyway, yesterday was my day to run my weekly shopping errands, and I had noted that the grocery store had even gotten into the Valentine's Day Retail hype and was offering a dozen roses on sale for $12.00. So I bought a bouquet, knowing that my husband would want me to have them. I hoped that they would lift my spirits, although I truly just felt depressed at the idea of buying flowers for myself.

In Canadian retail establishments, stores do their part to encourage people to use recyclable totes rather than non-biodegradable plastic bags and most stores charge 5¢ per plastic bag.

While I was bagging up my groceries I noticed that the man bagging his groceries opposite me had purchased a large quantity of plastic bags rather than bringing recyclable totes.

I always bring extra totes so I figured that I would brighten up his day by performing a random act of kindness and helping the ecology at the same time by passing one along, and said: "hey dude, save a tree… you can have one of my bags". He just growled "that's not necessary" at me. I persisted by saying: "really, there's no strings attached, I don't want anything from you, I have extra and I'd be happy to give you one". I received another monosyllabic and emphatically grunted "NO" in response.

Rather than let this unpleasant individual put a damper on the good mood that I had worked so hard to cultivate, as I left, I smilingly wished him "a better day" (and got growled at again for my efforts) and went on to run the rest of my errands.

As I was driving to my next errand it occurred to me that other people might also be having a tough time, so as I went from store to store and met up with all of the sales people who regularly serve me, I pulled out a rose and wished them a Happy Advance Valentine's Day.

The lady at the cosmetic counter practically jumped across the counter to hug me.

The really overworked pharmacist who hardly ever smiles was so staggered by this simple gift that she had tears in her eyes and her smile practically lit up the entire back of the store.

All too soon my roses were gone, but then it occurred to me that somewhere along the line I had ceased having to force my good mood. By simply bringing a little sunshine into people's lives I brought joy into my own.

As children we have all been taught that it's better to give than to receive, but exposure to the unkindnesses of the world wears on us as we grow up. Consequently by the time we reach adulthood we have lost so much faith in our fellow man and even in ourselves that the childhood lessons are forgotten. It didn't surprise me that the unpleasant man at the grocery store refused my offer as modern society has taught us to be distrustful, and offers of assistance and even smiles are treated as suspect.

However, it shouldn't stop us from trying. We won't always succeed, but the successes DO outweigh the failures, and through the gift of a smile, a kind word or a flower, with any luck we will cause a chain reaction of happiness, tolerance and renewed faith

You Must Become Like Children To Enter the Gates of Heaven

Yesterday while I was busy doing my housework, my daughter ran up to me and said, "Mommy there's someone at the gate." I told her to ask who it was. It was an old man beggar. I heard my daughter yelling, "Mommy he wants money." For a second I ignored her, but then it hit me what she just said.

I found my daughter taking out money from her Dad's wallet. Instead of stopping her, I stood there amazed at her action and the realization: kids give without hesitation and their kindness is impulsive.

Then I murmured a little prayer to myself, "God, let my kids never outgrow such a value and let that value grow on us adults."

Sure, we all want to do kindness acts as much as we can, but let's also be honest -- how many times have we acted on it in reality? How many times have we restrained ourselves from being kind? How many times have we chosen only to be kind to some?

As I witnessed yesterday, kindness and generosity requires no thought. Kindness should be impulsive, when you feel it, act on it at that very moment.

I know it might sound impossible to be kind all the time, to not think twice, to hold back because in our minds we think kindness should be given to those who deserve it and need it.

But really, who deserves and needs kindness?

WE ALL DO. THE WHOLE WORLD DOES.

"No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves." ~AMELIA EARHART

Walking for Kindness

I got this in my email this morning and thought what a wonderful way to learn about people and see the kindness of strangers.

His name is Garth Poorman, and he's a man on a mission. Poorman, who left his home in Hebron in upstate New York on August 29, is walking all the way to New Orleans. Along the way, he is looking for a few kind and generous hearts. "I wanted to see if I could walk half-way across America, depending solely on the kindness of friends and strangers to share dinner with me and host me in their homes for one night as I make my way south, 10 to 20 miles at a time," said Poorman. The son of a Presbyterian minister, Poorman, a 36-year-old former teacher and business manager, has already covered more than 1,000 miles on his four-month trek. [ more ]

Today's Tip: If you see someone on the street or in front of a store today needing a handout, give them a few dollars, buy them a meal or a cup of coffee and a donut. Share the kindness and love of Jesus with someone who truly needs it. Don't judge what they will do with the money, just give in faith and let God do the rest!