There are times when it seems as if we are being swamped by the ugly, the vulgar, and the unkind and it would be so easy and so tempting to give in to the cynicism, the hatred, and the negativity. I make a special effort to look for beauty and kindness and I must say that I often find them.
Take for example what happened to me today.
I know I’ve seen a lot more snow than I saw this week but I don’t remember it ever being as cold as it has been in Connecticut for the past couple days. While the snow was nowhere near the snowpocalypse of years gone by, it was still enough to cause a major collective headache for city dwellers. Where I live has plenty of space for parking but it would be too much of a bother to make use of it as the wonderful owners live on the premises and they go to work early in the morning and return home early evening while I go to work late and return home late evening. Too much hassle to be waking up people to move cars. I avoid all of that by parking on the sidewalk.
Yesterday visibility was so poor and conditions were so dangerous that I stayed home. Nine o’clock this morning I came out and looked at what the “Bomb Cyclone” had left behind and my heart fell. I was just dismayed at the job I’d have to do. I could have asked my landlord for help, but he’d already left. There was snow up to the window of the car and I was well and truly stuck. “This will be no fun,” I grumbled.
I bundled up, grabbed my stuff and went out and whaddya know? There’s a man cleaning up around the car, creating a pathway for me to drive out and even cleaning off the car itself! O my goodness! He must have spent a good 20 minutes cleaning up while I sat in the car. He insisted that I get out of the cold. I have seen him around and he’s always throwing out those greetings that men do and I’ve always responded respectfully. I promised that I’d have something for him when I get home this evening. I didn’t see him but I do have a $20.00 that’s his whenever I see him.
But that’s not even the best of it.
This morning my kind neighbor commented that the worst of it will be that when I get home someone will have taken my spot that he had cleaned out for me. I sighed in agreement. It always happens.
This evening I came home and...surprise, surprise...my spot was still there. But there was a huge problem; it was filled with banked snow. Sigh. I drove around two times and there was no other free spot. I came back around and thought that it just may be possible that my 4WD may be able to handle the mound. I went down to the intersection, turned around, crept up and suddenly there were two men with shovels cleaning out the spot for me!
While they cleaned, I frantically searched my pocketbook for money to offer to them. Other than the $20.00 for the angel of the morning, I could only find $2.00. “I know,” I thought, “I’ll just tell them that I owe them.” They finished their work and walked off! I had to gently honk the horn to get their attention. “I want to offer you something...” I began. “No, no,” said one man. “God bless you! Have a good night.” And he walked away.
I had a Fairy Godmother who once told me that I was arrogant. She reprimanded me for loving to give to others while at the same time scorning to accept kindness from others. She was right. It all had to do with my childhood. I took her words to heart and have been trying to do better. I watched those two angels walk away and had to fight the urge to cry.
A heartfelt thank you to the three gentlemen who came to my aid today. I doubt they’ll ever see this diary but I’ll just throw this out into the universe nonetheless: May your kindnesses be returned to you a thousand times over.
Yep, there’s so much beauty in the world.
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Macy Gray:
Jimmy Cliff:
Michael Jackson: