Choose To Be Kind

Choose To Be Kind

We all have a choice in every situation. I have made my choice to be kind and I have made a commitment to keeping it that way for the rest of my life. 

As you know, I have injured my knee. I can hardly walk at this stage as it continues to get worse while I wait for an MRI and possible surgery. I want to share a story with you that I hope will stay with you as you travel thishard journey called life.

The other day, I had to go to a pharmacy to get a prescription for an anti inflammatory for my painful knee. It was very difficult for me to walk to the entrance and to stand while I waited for the medication to be filled. By the time I paid for it and began my painful walk back to the car, I was obviously limping and holding on to the shopping cart for support. The thought of walking with it all the way back to the store entrance was overwhelming at the time and so I found a place to park the cart so that it was locked in place and could do no damage or be in anyone's way. I seriously just could not walk another step.

From out of nowhere I heard a voice who yelled, "Hey lady! Please tell me you're not leaving that cart there. You wouldn't dare leave it there unless your just too lazy to take it back." I stopped and looked at his angry face for a second and tried to tell him my knee was injured and that normally I would never leave a cart, but today I can hardly walk. His angry reply was, "Then you ought to stay home and not go out shopping you idiot."

Needless to say, my frustration peaked and I wanted to go after him and give him a piece of my mind. I wanted to run up behind him and jerk him up and punch him in the face. I wanted to hurt him physically and with mean words, I wanted to attack his character and make him feel bad for what he said. But I chose to be kind. Hardest thing I've ever done. I chose to smile and say God Bless you my friend....I hope your day brings more joy and kindness your way. I chose to be kind. What does that mean?

He had that choice too. He had the choice of being mean-spirited like he was or a choice to be kind and do something good for another. He could have easily said, "Hey lady, I see that you're struggling to walk and in obvious pain. Can I take that cart back for you." But he didn't. He was angry and made a decision to spread that anger to others.

We all have the choice to spread kindness or anger. We can waive that person in front of us when they are trying to merge into traffic or we can choose to look the other way. We can stop to help someone at a grocery store reach that top item on a shelf, or we can pretend not to notice. We can help that senior citizen load her groceries into her car. We can pay for that cup of coffee for the person in line behind us. We can allow that person to have that parking space when we both got there at the same time.

We can smile and say hello to a total stranger or tell a mother how beautiful her baby is. We can offer to help someone who is short on cash pay for her groceries. We can hand a dollar or two to that homeless person holding up a sign and we can offer a cold drink to someone who is working hard in the hot sun. We can cut the neighbors grass or bring in the elderly neighbors newspaper or mail. We can bake cookies or muffins or even make dinner and share it with a friend who has no one.

That's right my friends. We can perform any act of kindness for anyone at anytime. That is our choice. We can choose to let life's frustrations make us angry and we can take it out on everyone that crosses our path. Or we can choose to be kind. That is our new motto here at Welcome Home. "Choose To Be Kind."

I put my challenge on the table. How many of you will choose to be kind from now on? For the blogger who attacked me this morning. For the man in the parking lot....it's not too late. The choice is yours.

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.
Be the living expression of God's kindness:
Kindness in your face,
Kindness in your eyes,
Kindness in your smile."

~Mother Teresa