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Tonight's picture was taken in August of 2006. Mattie was four years old and was having a great time at Legoland. Legoland had to be Mattie's favorite theme park to visit, mainly because he loved all things Lego. That day, Mattie climbed aboard a fire engine made out of those wonderful bricks. I will never forget Mattie's adventures in San Diego and how he brought new life, energy, and curiosity to all of us.
Quote of the day: How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it! ~ George Elliston
It was another early morning for me, as I had to get the process going because I had a dental appointment in the city at 11am. In order for me to get to that appointment on time, I was up at 6am and moving like the wind. While sitting at the breakfast table with my parents, my phone rang. It was Sandy, my mortgage assumption closing agent. The first things she said was..... congratulations! After four months, I finally have completed the mortgage assumption! We chatted a bit and she understands I am concerned about my home owner's insurance and a couple of other things. But this was the first act of kindness for the day! It is going to take me at least a month to lose that anxiety feeling every time my phone rings! I have been jumping through all sorts of hoops to get this mortgage, and the process was arduous.
Things were moving along beautifully this morning, until I went to get my dad into the car to head to his memory care center. His needed to use the bathroom. His timing always coincides to when he has to get up and move. This bathroom routine set me back by 15 minutes. Once I got my dad to his memory care center, I hopped on the highway to head into the city.
My dentist is located near where I used to live in the city. Now to get to that office, it takes me 40 minutes of driving each way. Sure I could find another dentist, but connections and loyalty mean a lot to me. I have been going to this practice for 30 years. Therefore, I am not likely to change! There was traffic on the highway and it was at that point, I could feel a migraine approaching. I did not have my medication with me, so instead, I had to mentally work through the symptoms and pain. I did arrive in the city and entered the parking garage near my doctor's office. To my surprise, the parking attendant who I had gotten to know over the last five years, was NO LONGER there! Why? Guess!!????
If you guessed that they did away with a human attendant, then you get a gold star. I am sick of computers, automation, and don't get me started on AI. Computers can't and should never replace the human connection. So I was already running late to my appointment, but then had to figure out how to get into the garage. There was a gate and next to the gate was an automated system that asked for my cell phone number. There was literally a man trying to get out of the garage and the gate wouldn't open to let him out. He was beyond frustrated and I wasn't far behind. We commiserated! After I put my cell number into the automated system the gate opened.
By the time I got to my dentist's office, I could see that I received a text message from the garage gate company. It knew my license plate and asked me to register my car with their system. I really did not want to do this, but I could see the trouble the man at the gate was having trying to get out of the garage without using the app. Since my parents use the same dentist, I deduced, I had no choice but to comply. So I created an account, which was linked to my credit card. This kind of stuff always makes me edgy and in the past, I would be calling my other half in a panic, seeking guidance on what to do. Another thing about being divorced that I hate..... I lost my wing man!
Any case, today, I was shown three acts of kindness! The first one was Sandy's call. Here was the second.....Every couple of years, my dentist takes a full set of x-rays! I hate the whole process and the cost. Today, Annie (my hygienist) told me that she and my dentist were going to comp my x-rays. Why do I think they were doing this? They did this because they admire that I am a full-time caregiver, that I run a non-profit that helps children with cancer, and that I took a serious financial hit with my divorce. Needless to say, I was very happy not to pay $300 for x-rays. Annie and the dentist know that my appointments are my respite. Crazy as that sounds! It is the only moment where I am not running around and dealing with caregiving tasks. Instead, someone is working on me. Typically Annie knows I love rat pack music, but today, as we were chatting about Dolly Parton, I told Annie.... let's listen to Dolly! Which we did!
When I drive through my old neighborhood now, I almost feel like I am having an outer body experience, because my life looked one way there and now it is completely different.
When I got home, I dealt with laundry, fed Indie, and did some other chores. But my mom was ready to go out, so I turned it around and took her out for tea. Starbuck's was busy today, and my mom needs a table and chair in order to be comfortable. To my surprise more acts of kindness ensued! First, a young man held the door open for me as we approached the store. He saw I was holding and guiding my mom with one arm as I was holding a bag and her jacket and blanket in the other. Then another man, a customer, jumped up and moved a table and two chairs over for us to use. I was beyond shocked and very grateful, because usually I am running around the store asking people to share their table and chairs. Ironically every now and then, I get a customer who yells at me when I make the request to share a table! Some days I am just tired of running around and advocating.
I am grateful today for Sandy, for my dentist's office, and the two men I encountered at Starbuck's who weren't looking for anything other than to be helpful. Acts of unexpected kindness can indeed turn one's heart and mind around in an instant.
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