The kindness of people

One day a few months ago I went to the cafeteria to buy myself a bag of chips at work.  I was having a particularly bad emotional day and all I wanted was some Fritos.  So I put my money in the machine and pressed the buttons and the little spinny thing starts to spin but then stops, leaving my bag of chips half way hanging off the rack. I just stood there, looking at my chips hanging there.  I was, literally, on the verge of a complete emotional breakdown over these chips.  My eyes started tearing up and I just stood frozen, so upset that all I wanted was these chips and they were just hanging there taunting me.  I just didn't know what to do.  Breaking down crying seemed completely reasonable to me at that moment.  So this guy, that I have never met before, standing at the soda machine next to me pipes up "do you want a dollar to get those chips out?"  And he just handed me a dollar.  That guy had NO IDEA that I was on the verge of tears over this stupid bag of chips.  I said thank you and he just walked away.

A few weekends after Joe moved out I was standing in my garage folding clothes and I see my neighbor walking up my driveway with a tray of piping hot food in her hands.  She said "I just felt like I needed to do something to help you out.  I know it's not much but I made you this lasagna."  I said, "wow, this is awesome, I had no idea what I was going to do for dinner tonight."  And it was delicious.  The fact that she even thought about me and the kids was just so sweet.

One day my neighbor offered to mow my backyard for me after we were talking and I was telling him what a difficult task it was for me the first time I did it.  Now, he mows the little section of my side yard that is connected to his every week without me even having to ask.  It's not the biggest favor ever but it helps me out so much that I don't have to mow it.  To me, his thoughtfulness is just a God send.

It got me thinking how I don't always pay attention to what's going on around me.  And how I don't always lend a helping hand to someone I know is in need.  Or someone I don't know who is in need.  I want to start paying attention.  Start noticing when something as simple as buying someone a bag a chips from the vending machine would just totally make their day.  Try to not miss an opportunity to be kind to a stranger or a neighbor.  You never know what situation that person is in.  Your little act of kindness or thoughtfulness could go a LONG way to someone who's having a bad day.