A Year of Being Kind blog – Sunday, November 16, 2014
Feeling Under the Weather? Being Kind Anyhow!
I am not feeling well. When I woke up this morning, my nose was drippy. My eyes were red and I felt awful.
General, garden-variety cold was my guess.
But, today was also Sunday. Sunday morning, which means church service at ten o’clock. I was moving slowly even before leaving the house. When I finally made it to church, one of the members of Church Council met me in the office. “My goodness!” she said when she saw me. And, I told the congregation. I mentioned my garden-variety cold, and explained that that was why I wouldn’t be shaking hands after the service. Oh, and keeping my distance from people, too.
Enough talking about me feeling sick.
Suffice it to say that after this morning at work, I tried to take it easy today. And I’ll try hard tomorrow, too. Try taking it easy, I mean.
On my way to the fruit and vegetable market after church, I was stopped by an older man. I greeted him, sure enough. Lo and behold, he was looking for a place near the large shopping center about a mile and a half west. I gave him directions, and he was extremely grateful.
Like my older sister tells me, from time to time. She can be walking down a crowded sidewalk for work in Brooklyn, Queens or Manhattan, and some stranger will come up to her—that’s her, mind you! And ask for directions. Not anyone else. She’s seen it time and again. In this case, today, there weren’t lots of people around. Just a few. Still, the older man seemed to be quite grateful for the directions I gave him.
Just a small thing. Directions. Oh, and several smiles.
I suspect the older man would much prefer that I gave him directions rather than sharing my cold. Which leads me to ask: how can you help today? What stranger, or which acquaintance, can you offer to help? Great questions! I hope God leads us all to the people who might really benefit by our service. God willing, Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayers.
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