Kindness Counts

I read a book recently that talked about the power of affirmations. It was so bold as to say "DROWN YOURSELF IN AFFIRMATIONS" .. the author talks about training your brain to think differently. She says "Figure out what affirmations you need to hear the most and repeat them all day long in your head, in the car, while you're walking down the street.." Anyway, you get the idea. 

So I'm reading this book and trying to figure out what I need to hear most at a time when there is all sorts of chaos in our lives -- school is out, work hours are shortened, our summer childcare situation is so confusing and convoluted that my head wants to explode. 

I'm having a conversation with a really good friend and she says "I'm just going to keep doing what I know is right because I know in my heart I am a good person" .. when I read what she typed in that text message - I thought to myself .. I need to print that up and tape it to the bathroom wall .. so it is the first thing I see in the morning. I shared my plan with my friend -- she mentioned that we have a mutual friend who might cross-stitch it for me. Much less rednecky than my taped piece of printer paper to the wall idea!

I ask my cross-stitching friend if I could pay her to make my vision come to life. She agrees to do it. I tell her my colors and she comes up with a design and I love it. We agreed that she could get to it whenever because she has other projects in process to finish first. 

Fast forward a couple of months.....

The last few weeks have been particularly hectic at work and at home, add in that Paul's start time has been pushed back and he is routinely home after 8pm. This last week has been really trying ... like I'm ready for bed at 8:30 and making my way there closer to 11. 

A few mornings ago, I made my way to the work kitchen to heat up some breakfast and glanced at the mailboxes on my way by. I could see that something was in mine and I think I sighed out loud. You know the sigh that says "what now???"

When I finally made my way to check it ... I was so pleasantly surprised. There it was, my affirmation. Exactly the way I envisioned it - in the colors I asked for, complete with a beautiful blue frame.  I couldn't thank her right away, because she was away from her desk. 

When I finally caught up with her. I told her how it was perfect - exactly the way I pictured it in my head and I asked her what I owed her. 

"Nothing."  She said.

I argued "I didn't want this to cost you anything"

"It cost me nothing to make"

"but your time" I said ...

"You do nice things for people all the time. I wanted to do something for you" She replied. 

I am filled with gratitude for her friendship and kindness. That beautiful project will eventually make its way to the place I planned for it to hang .. but for now it sits on my desk at work, where I glance it several times a day. #kindnesscounts