ACTS OF KINDNESS
IT IS EASY TO GIVE IN TO FEAR. I FIND MYSELF DOING IT MYSELF. MY INBOX SEEMS TO HAVE A NEW COVID-19 STORY EVERYDAY AND EVEN THE CORONAVIRUS JOKES THAT ARE CONSTANTLY SHARED KEEP THIS DREADED DISEASE IN THE FOREFRONT OF MY MIND.
BUT KNOWLEDGE IS POWER AS THEY SAY. AND THE MORE I KNOW THE MORE I CAN ARM MYSELF AND PROTECT MY FAMILY IF I CAN.
AND OF COURSE THE BEST PROTECTION I CAN GIVE COMES IN THE FORM OF PRAYER. I PRAY A LOT. AND ….I HAVE THE TIME TO DO THIS !
ANOTHER THING I FIND MYSELF DOING IS SOMETHING I HAVEN’T REALLY FELT LIKE DOING SINCE I WAS A YOUNG MUM… ‘NESTING’ . I DON’T HAVE A NEW BABY COMING BUT I HAVE A STRONG URGE TO PREPARE OUR HOME FOR A LONG STAY. I FIND MYSELF BAKING. I HAVEN’T WANTED TO BAKE UNLESS IT’S A SPECIAL OCCASION (LIKE CHRISTMAS, ETC.) BECAUSE I AM ALWAYS WORRIED THAT I WILL EAT TOO MUCH OF IT . HA HA.
IN OUR CATHOLIC TRADITION IT IS THE SEASON OF LENT. THIS IS WHERE WE STEP BACK AND THINK ABOUT ALL THAT JESUS SUFFERED FOR US AND WE CONTEMPLATE THIS FOR 40 DAYS. IT IS TRADITION TO ‘GIVE SOMETHING UP’ , TO FAST AND LET OUR THOUGHTS OF GOD FILL US UP INSTEAD. YOU CAN FAST FROM FOOD, WINE OR EVEN TELEVISION (OR MANY OTHER THINGS THAT DRAW YOUR ATTENTION) BUT ONE CAN ALSO DO SOMETHING EACH WEEK / DAY AS WELL.
HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT DOING AN ACT OF KINDNESS? THIS IS VERY SIMPLE TO DO AND CAN BRING MUCH JOY TO THE ONE WHO RECEIVES AND THE ONE WHO GIVES!
I HAVE HAD SOME FUN DELIVERING WEE BAKING PACKAGES TO FOLKS AROUND MY NEIGHBOURHOOD. SOMETIMES I PUT A COUPLE OF COOKIES IN WITH SOME TEABAGS AND A NOTE, SOMETIMES A COUPLE OF SWEETS WITH A BOOK, BUT ALWAYS JUST SOMETHING INCLUDED TO MAKE SOMEONE FEEL LESS ALONE. I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU.
I DON’T SEE ANYONE. EVERYTHING IS SANITIZED, I WEAR GLOVES, AND AFTER I PUT THE PARCEL ON THE DOORSTEP I DRIVE AWAY AND CALL/TEXT THEM TO GO TO THEIR PORCH FOR A SURPRISE.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TODAY TO MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY? SOMETIMES JUST AN UNEXPECTED PHONE CALL IS ALL IT WOULD TAKE TO CHEER SOMEONE UP IN THESE SCARY TIMES. TRY IT !