Let's start a micro-kindness movement!
Yesterday in my ongoing attempt to meet my beloved, I signed up for a nutrition/cooking course at my local Metropolitan Community Church. MCC is primarily an LGBT church, so I signed up for this course not so much for the nutritional information but more for the possibility of sitting next to a sexy dyke, sending her my love vibes as I ask her to pass the persimmon or the parsley.
I got to the class a bit late which is unusual for me as I tend to be at least ten minutes early, so I didn't pay particular attention to the "No parking after 5 p.m." sign that was literally right in front of my car. In my defense, I am short and somewhat near-sighted so it wouldn't have been organic for me to have looked up to scan the sign and again, I was rushing!
Since the class was only one hour I had brought my puppy Lucille with me as I had intended to take her to the dog park immediately after the class. I walked into to the church and then into a fairly dark room where the nutritionist was speaking to a group of ten people. Melanie the nutritionist was both strident and perky, two qualities that should not be brought together in one person. I sat down and said hello to the group. Strangely no one acknowledged my presence. I found that a little disturbing and a lot inhospitable. Now, I understand that Melanie was in the middle of speaking, but I felt a few seconds spent on making me feel part of the group would have gone a long way to make me feel comfortable and a part of the whole.
As the long hour was coming to a close, a man rushed into the church and pointed to me and said " The police are here with a tow truck, and they are about to tow your car away along with your little dog!" I ran outside just in time to prevent my car with dog in tow, from being taken far far away. I thanked the gentleman profusely, then asked him how he knew it was my car the police were going to tow away. He told me that he lived right across from where I parked and had watched me go into the church next door.
I was so grateful, as this adventure in towing would have cost me hundreds of dollars not to mention traumatizing my poor little poochie. As I drove away, I thought about how this man, who just by spending a few extra minutes of his time to help me, had saved my ample ass big time.
This morning I went to buy eggs at Oillife in Rosedale. I went to the front counter to pay for the eggs and Timothy, the young man serving me took my carton of eggs and opened the crate to see if any of the eggs were cracked. I was impressed with his diligence and commented. He told me that his mother had taught him to be thorough and that he knew I would be upset when I came home and found one of the eggs had cracked. How lovely!
I felt very cared for in both the above situations , and realized how these small micro-moments of kindness, strung together like tiny Christmas lights, make me feel whole-er, and more humane, more connected to my own well of kindness.
So I decided to write this tiny blog where I (hopefully!) inspire a micro- kindness movement. No big gestures necessary. Perhaps you ask the elderly woman in front of you at the check- out line if she needs help carrying her groceries to the car. Perhaps you smile and say hello to the man who takes your subway token as you make your way to work. Perhaps you stop to hold the door open for a mom struggling to hold the hand of her rambunctious toddler.
Really any small gesture of kindness will suffice, just begin!
