Thursday, September 24, 2009

Random Kindness Appreciated


Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.
Henry Ward Beecher


Yesterday brought a most unusual day for several reasons. First, awoke to rain and cool temperatures of 58. Sixty-eight days of 100+ degree heat accompanied by a drought, found me dredging through the closet for a pair of pants that might fit my summer body.

Instead of biting my lip when looking out my windows at a scorched lawn and wilting garden, beautiful green met my gaze. My new tomato plants reached higher just overnight.

Happy to find my husband had replaced my windshield wipers, I drove over to pick up a friend I hadn't seen in a while. Time seems to get away from me and I had thought of her often. A few weeks prior she had dropped her daughter off at college and now with both children gone, I wondered how she fared in a house void of children.

She chose a restaurant downtown and we ordered a glass of wine. Greeted by a menu of delectable comfort food, I ordered something I never do, nor particularly like. Macaroni and Cheese. This, however, was Green Chili Macaroni and Cheese delivered in a very large bowl. Incredibly good. Mouth watering good. Don't let me take another bite good. Great perk also - large enough portion for a take home dinner for husband and son.

Where is this going, you say? Just the usual, fervid conversation as we caught up on the past month only stopping to take in a bite or a sip of wine. The waiter came to ask if we wanted dessert. We passed. (I was giving up swimming a mile at the Y to lunch the afternoon away. Couldn't further compromise myself by eating dessert.)

She then informed us that our lunch had been taken care of. That no bill would come our way.

What? Was I in the movies? How could this be?

"Who?" we asked.

"I can only say someone in this room."

Having been so engaged in conversation, we never noticed anyone at other tables and we glanced around the room, seeking who we knew. I knew no one. I looked at Lisa. She didn't know anyone either.

A kind soul? An admirer? We'll never know. Most fun.

I will have to return that fun with gratitude for someone else one day soon. A kindness I never would have considered until I experienced it myself. I'm thinking that will be more thrilling than having received it. Gratitude appreciated.

Also, random kindness arrived in the form the following two awards. From ds at the beautiful third-storey window I have been granted the Zombie Chicken award. Please visit her site. Truly lovely. ds, I'm so glad I found your site.

"The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken-- excellence, grace, and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words.

[zombiechicken_award.jpg]

And from Missy at Missy's Book Nook, the Dragon's Loyalty Award. I find it most easy to loyally follow her blog. Who can resist a book lover? Visit and read her book reviews. Authors - she also will review your book. I thank you, Missy.

[Dragon's+Loyalty+Award.JPG]

The morning glories featured here were another lovely surprise. They sprang up during the late spring from seeds in a pot I had planted last year. All summer at the lake, I kept them watered in hopes they'd bloom. The week I was in Green Bay, I figured they would die without my touch, but returned to find them most beautiful. One never knows.

25 comments:

  1. I am happy you had such a joy filled day. You deserve the blog awards! Your writing is beautiful, not just what you say but how you say it. Church Sunday was on gratitude, so again with these thoughts I am reminded of so much to be thankful for.

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  2. You are having a good streak of luck, a free lunch, a good friend to share life with, a good attitude to take it all in. I'll drink to that.

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  3. I am happy for your happiness. You are a lovely person and deserve to receive such gifts as given you today. I have always known it.

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  4. What a great surprise. I love getting and giving random acts of kindness. Congrats on the awards.

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  5. You really have had a very good week....I'm happy for you. Sometimes it's the little things in life that make it worthwhile.

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  6. Oh, how sweet! I love that, just love it! Makes me want to go out and do the same :). Little did they know they would become slightly anonymous after all, as you could at least write about the moment publicly :).

    Congrats on the award!

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  7. I'm with Mere, it makes me want to go out and do the same...what a lovely post....
    xo

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  8. What a glorious day -- just like the photos! Doing those random acts and anonymous deeds is one of my fav things to do! :)

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  9. Your description makes me feel like I was there; like it was me instead of you. Those are the kind of days I like, too!
    More blessings to you.

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  10. What a delightful story, Julie! I'm so glad it happened to you. Have a wonderful rest of the week!

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  11. How intriguing, a free lunch ... it must have been an admirer. I wonder if you will ever find out who your benefactor was.

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  12. And you didn't call me? I thought we made a deal when I posted about not having anyone to go to lunch with! The mysterious stranger might also have putting themselves in your friendship tableau, and this was their way of doing so.

    I'm so jealous of you having such a beautiful day, including the morning glory. And congratulations on the two awards, they are well deserved.

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  13. Life is full of surprises. You are a lucky soul, you notice some and some comes to your way..

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  14. That is really neat! Maybe it was a reader of your blog? I hope to do that one day.
    I used to sometimes pay the 50 cents at a toll for a random driver behind me. Don't use that road anymore though.

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  15. Random acts of kindness are few and far between nowadays...it was so sweet of someone to do that!
    Your morning glories are beautiful, too.

    Have a wonderful weekend, Julie!

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  16. What an amazing day. Someone bought my movie ticket once in that same way. I can still remember how it felt. There's nothing quite like the first rain after long heat to bring out gratitude in all its glory - well-represented by your beautiful pictures.

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  17. Congratulations on your well deserved awards, ah now it's your time to pay it forward....I will bet you will enjoy that even more than receiving it at your lunch.......:-) Hugs

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  18. Fabulous post and photos! So glad that things are going your way! Congrats on you awards, cher! Have a great weekend!

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  19. What a wonderful thing to have happen! That deserves a 'pay it forward' which I know you will do.

    Love the morning glories. Great post, lovely pictures. Congratulations on the awards, too!

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  20. I can never get enough of hearing "pay it forward" stories. Especially about people who I know deserve it.

    Your posts always make me remember to be grateful for what I have, and to cherish every moment. Maybe this is what your secret Santa saw!

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  21. I am dying to find out who did such a random act of kindness. This has not happened to me, but I feel like doing it for someone else.
    Thanks for inspiring me.

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  22. Wow, this has MOST certainly been a week of rewards and kindness! I need to check and see what's going with your/our astrological forecast this month.

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  23. How lovely! I believe God to be truly pleased with us when we do random acts of kindness. To receive such an act...how wonderful! Truly, I enjoy this post today, greatly.
    Recently, I've been able to spend a lot of time with a dear friend and my life has expanded dramatically. I am most blessed.

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  24. You make me want to go out and buy meals for people.

    Oh, and swimming a mile? You are AWESOME!

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  25. Sounds like a lovely lunch with your friend... and acts of random kindness renew our hope in this crazy world, don't they?! How uplifting. :)

    And your reborn morning glories are beautiful!

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