Kindness

       I don't forget kindness.  There are people in my life who have shown much kindness to me and I will NEVER forget that kindness.  Sometimes it's just been simple small gestures.  I can think of lots of people and examples, but one would be the emergency room doctor that I had called me when I was up in the Chicago hospital and asked if he could come visit me as he had a business meeting near by.  He took time out of his day to visit me in my new hospital.....someone he didn't even really know.  And then he followed it up with a handwritten note to me about how I had been an encouragement to HIM.....really?!  He had by far made the greater impact on my life with his kindness towards me through everything and with taking the time to come see me.

      That may be an extreme example of kindness.  But a more simple act of kindness was the other month my refrigerator was about on the fritz...or so I thought.  I was walking out of the gym one day and just quickly told this guy I know about it.  I told him I was leaving to go buy a new fridge (I seriously was).  He took the time to ask me about the symptoms of the fridge and gave me some advice.  Now, I'm a single girl who doesn't know everything about home improvements and am always wanting and needing manly advice.  The fact that he wanted to give me advice was received as pure kindness.  In fact, his advice saved me the cost of a new fridge I didn't really need.
      I'm just a simple girl who values the intentionality that being kind brings.  If there's one lesson people should learn in life, it's to offer kindness to all people.   When given the choice between being right and being kind....choose kindness.  Kindness will always bring with it a lasting impact that last far beyond the initial gesture.