National Be An Angel Day #BeAnAngelDay

 Roy Ackerman over at Cerebrations introduced me to the National Be An Angel Day (which is today).

To quote, "National Be An Angel Day encourages good deeds and kindness to others. By supporting those in need and inspiring others to kindness, we display an act of an angel here on earth. The day also recognizes those who've been angels to us."

Angels to us....think back.  I know there have been angels in my life, some I've known for years, some who came into my life for just a few moments or days.

Here are some ideas to honor the angels in our lives.  

It can be anything from forgiving someone who has wronged you, thanking your local mail deliverer (so important in these times), checking in on an elderly next door neighbor, donating time to a cause that benefits your community, and so much more. 

I wanted to end this post with a suitable flower to gladden your heart.  Of several photos I took in my flower garden today, this one struck me as the most beautiful.

A gladiolus (representing strength and integrity) and a phlox (harmony, partnership, unity); qualities we all need in our lives today.

Not much into chain emails or blog posts, but this one deserves to be passed on.

Kindness Month

Today, I received an email about December being a "Month of Kindness"  I've seen various calendars now, with each day of December being devoted to an act of kindness.

For December 10, one website asked that I "Fill out a survey at a store and complement an employee who was good to you".

I probably won't be in a store today, but I still want to blog about the kindness of an employee.

Today, one of my cousins is undergoing surgery for cancer, and my mind thought back to a special day back in 2014.

  

On that day in 2014, I was shopping for a card for a friend who was about to undergo cancer surgery in the near future.   I  ended up seeing a ring, one that had the cancer loop on it. The employee asked if she could help me - I couldn't find it in my size.  I told the sales clerk about the woman who was going to undergo the surgery, and I burst out in tears.  Both of us ended up hugging and crying right in the middle of the store.  I don't know the name of this woman but knew just what to do at the emotional moment of a customer.

I don't know if I will ever meet her again.  I never have seen her again in that tore.  I hope she finds out, somehow, how much what she did meant to me. 

In November of 2010, I also experienced a random act of kindness in a local store, this time by a customer   Today, I wonder how the man in this story is doing.  Is he better off?  Despite what must have been hard times for him, he had such an upbeat attitude.

Here's some of the post I blogged about him from 2010:

 ******

I saw something inspiring, as we get closer to the Thanksgiving season, this afternoon.

I had gotten out of work early for a couple of appointments.  After the appointments, spouse decided we should get our Thanksgiving turkey.  We did so, and then remembered that a nearby Aldi had good sales on fresh cranberries and also celery.

I don't know if you have an Aldi's where you live.  Aldi is actually a huge chain in Germany, with stores in various stores on the Continent and also in Great Britain.  In the United States, for some reason, they initially came in as a "bargain" store, with (in my opinion) dirty, ill lit stores.  I would not shop there for years.  The employees "did it all", the same people doing store cleanup, stocking, and cash register.

When my son took German in school, his teacher came in one day with an Aldi ad from Germany.  What a difference!  Aldi in Germany is almost like a combination grocery/department store.  But meanwhile, back in upstate NY...

Due to that ad, we gave them another shot.  'They had seriously upgraded the stores in the meantime, with better lighting and edible produce. So we do shop there (in 2019) all the time. You can't beat their prices, and they do have a number of really decent store brands.

Over the years, I have experience many kindnesses at Aldi.  This is just one of them.

We were getting ready to check out.  We only had three items.  The line was long, although the lines there tend to move quickly.  The person at the back of the line had an overflowing cart. "Here, go ahead of me."  The next person also let us in, and also let go ahead of him a person right behind us who had two items.  That man's clothes were a little dirty and he walked like he had a stiff leg, with a limp.

My spouse and I struck up a conversation with the man with the limp.  He had some extra money because he had sold two cars at auction today.  He had been up since 5 am.  It was a good day for him, because he was able to buy another car to fix up and sell.  Best of all, it was his birthday.  He couldn't see why he should spend $30. at Texas Roadhouse [a steakhouse chain in the U.S.] when he could buy some frozen steaks and cook him at home (we don't know if he had a loved one waiting for him.  I hope so).  He was so glad to be spared a few extra minutes on line, so he could get home and rest.

I hope the gentleman who gave up his place for a couple of tired near senior citizens and a man with a limp had a wonderful rest of the day, due to this random act of kindness.

Are you going to spread kindness in December, a time when so many of us are stressed and extra-stressed?  Or, would you like to comment about a kindness done to you?

The Darker Side of Humanity

Earlier this year, two blog posts caught my eye:

First: What Happened to Kindness?  It's a good question.

Next: Scammers (one man's experience with scammers trying to trick him).  After reading this post, you may never trust anyone again.

What depths are some of our fellow humans capable of sinking to, preying on the elderly and other vulnerable populations (among other crimes against our own species)?  We've been warned, with the recent death of my mother in law, about scammers who will try to send us bills "she owes" or try other tricks to benefit from our loss.

We were told about obituaries that gave out "too much information" - but identity thieves love them.

Why? Because there are  people who use obituaries to steal from the dead and their families.

It's not just the old "burglarize the house of loved ones while they are at the funeral" but outright identity theft.  One of the first things we had to do after getting home from the funeral was contact credit bureaus to make sure her credit was frozen and she was marked as "deceased".

Do you need to fill your car's gas tank?  A skimmer may steal your credit or debit card information.

Can you depend on anyone, anymore?  Even the government warns us about scams (a warning well worth reading, by the way.)

Is this what has happened to kindness?  We can't trust anyone in everyday interactions anymore.  Even phone numbers and emails aren't what they seem.

My late mother in law was scammed at least once in her life (by a "driveway repairman") and saw through an IRS scam several years ago only because they insisted on her paying "the IRS" with Rite-Aid gift cards.  The "IRS agent" knew enough about her late husband to scare her.

I work with someone who witnessed a family member trying to deal with the "grandson" scam - it was so realistic. Turns out the scammers have ways of finding out personal information.  That is what happened with my mother in law and the "IRS" - they had personal information on my father in law, who (at that time) had been dead over 10 years.

There are the new Medicare card scams.  

Scams targeting those who are victims of recent natural disasters.  And it goes on and on.

If you think you are smart, and it can't happen to you - well, it can.  I received a scam call from someone pretending to be from my insurance company shortly after my spouse was injured in an accident (perhaps I should blog about that one day).  Fortunately, I decided to check into the phone call (it was a message left on my machine) with the insurance company, using their normal customer service number - and their reaction was pretty interesting, too.

Back to the blogger who asked "what happened to kindness" - she now tries to look out for acts of kindness in her everyday life.

Maybe that is what we need to do, too - if not out of self defense, then something enabling us to reconnect with our fellow human beings.

Don't let the bottom dwellers defeat us.

Easier said than done.

Has anyone you know been scammed?

Random Acts of Kindness Past

I first blogged the following in 2010, with an update in 2014.  Now I want to update it still again.

This year, 2017, I want to thank co workers and fellow bloggers/relatives who have shown me support in the last few days.  It means a lot to me.   Thank you, all who have commented.

In 2014 I wrote this:

Yesterday, shopping for a card for a friend who is about to undergo surgery on Wednesday, I received a random act of kindness that was so special, that both of us ended up hugging and crying right in the middle of the store.  I don't know the name of this woman, but I am tearing up again just thinking of her.

I don't know if I will ever meet her again (I only shop in this local store, a gift shop, several times a year) but if not, I hope she finds out, somehow, how much what she did meant to me.  And, may she receive much goodness in her life. (2017 update - I have never seen her again).

In November of 2010, I also experienced a random act of kindness.  I've experienced some since but this one, in a way, also was special.  Maybe, I shouldn't say this one was special - all of them are special.  But, I wonder how the man in this story is doing.  Is he better off?  Despite what must have been hard times for him, he had such an upbeat attitude.

Here's the post from 2010:

 ******

I saw something inspiring, as we get closer to the Thanksgiving season, this afternoon.

I had gotten out of work early for a couple of appointments.  After the appointments, spouse decided we should get our Thanksgiving turkey.  We did so, and then remembered that a nearby Aldi had good sales on fresh cranberries and also celery.

I don't know if you have an Aldi's where you live.  If you do, it is an interesting concept.  Aldi is actually a huge chain in Germany, with stores in various stores on the Continent and also in Great Britain.  In the United States, for some reason, they initially came in as a "bargain" store, with (in my opinion) dirty, ill lit stores.  I would not shop there for years.  You couldn't get a shopping cart without paying a deposit. You had to bag things yourself (and if you didn't bring bags, they would gladly sell them to you.)  The employees "did it all", the same people doing store cleanup, stocking, and cash register.

When my son took German in school, his teacher came in one day with an Aldi ad from Germany.  What a difference!  Aldi in Germany is almost like a combination grocery/department store.  But meanwhile, back in upstate NY...

Due to that ad, we gave them another shot.  'They had seriously upgraded the stores in the meantime, with better lighting and edible produce. So we do shop there on and off, depending on the sales. You can't beat their prices, although I don't think I would ever buy fresh meat there.  But they do have a number of really decent store brands (they sell very little national brands, if you care about that-I don't) and when they have specials on German food....well, they are German.

At one time, their target clientele, to be blunt, was lower income people.  But now with the economy, you find a lot of middle class people in there too.  Times are hard.  I'm grateful for the Johnson City Aldi.  (they've even opened a second store just to the north of Binghamton).

Anyway, there we were getting ready to check out.  We only had three items.  The line was long, although the lines there tend to move quickly.  The person at the back of the line had an overflowing cart. "Here, go ahead of me."  The next person also let us in, and also let go ahead of him a person right behind us who had two items.  His clothes were a little dirty and he walked like he had a stiff leg, with a limp.

We struck up a conversation with the man with the limp.  He had some extra money because he had sold two cars at auction today.  He had been up since 5 am.  It was a good day for him, because he was able to buy another car to fix up and sell.  Best of all, it was his birthday.  He couldn't see why he should spend $30. at Texas Roadhouse [a steakhouse chain in the U.S.] when he could buy some frozen steaks and cook him at home (we don't know if he had a loved one waiting for him.  I hope so).  He was so glad to be spared a few extra minutes on line, so he could get home and rest.

I hope this gentleman had a wonderful rest of the day, due to this random act of kindness.

Miniatures with Much Meaning

It has become a holiday tradition for me to feature the miniature houses - dollhouses if you will - of Bobbie King, which are displayed at a seasonal museum called Hanukkah House in Binghamton, New York.

Let me take you into this miniature world, or memories in little boxes (Thank you, blogger Alice Gerard, for inspiring the format of this year's post). 

Why are these houses special? 

First, let me show you.  The exhibit had two houses this year .  One was a pink house.

Another view.

A miniature in white.

It's time to take you through the front door.

But first, you may want to stop off at the porch.

Now, take a look inside.

How about a closeup?

Or two?


So, who was Bobbie King?  Why are her houses special?

Roberta King was a member of the congregation that runs the museum and mother of 10 who taught English for immigrant adult education classes at Binghamton's American Civic Association - until the day she was murdered, with 12 of her students and co workers. April 3, 2009 is a day no one in Binghamton will ever forget.

Her family refused to surrender to hate.  Instead, they continue to permit Hanukkah House to display her dollhouses (and extensive doll collection) each year for the community to enjoy.

If you are in the Binghamton area, I invite you to visit Hanukkah House.  In this season of hate there is no better thing to do.  If you aren't in our area, there may be a museum or exhibit that you could visit that is similar. We must not forget how easily hate can grow and destroy.

I plan, later this month, to show that exhibit and other items on display at Hanukkah House.

Have you ever collected dolls? Or worked on miniature houses as a hobby?

A Random Act of Kindness to Remember

Yesterday, shopping for a card for a friend who is about to undergo surgery on Wednesday, I received a random act of kindness that was so special, that both of us ended up hugging and crying right in the middle of the store.  I don't know the name of this woman, but I am tearing up again just thinking of her.

I don't know if I will ever meet her again (I only shop in this local store, a gift shop, several times a year) but if not, I hope she finds out, somehow, how much what she did meant to me.  And, may she receive much goodness in her life. (It's too soon, but one day I'd like to blog about it.)

In November of 2010, I also experienced a random act of kindness.  I've experienced some since but this one, in a way, also was special.  Maybe, I shouldn't say this one was special - all of them are special.  But, I wonder how the man in this story is doing.  Is he better off?  Despite what must have been hard times for him, he had such an upbeat attitude.

As we approach the Thanksgiving season here in the United States, , I need to remind myself that I have a lot to be grateful for.

Since this post was written, so much has happened in my life, and in the lives of those I love.

Have you ever experienced a random act of kindness?  I'd love to hear about it in the comments.

 ******

I saw something inspiring, as we get closer to the Thanksgiving season, this afternoon.

I had gotten out of work early for a couple of appointments.  After the appointments, spouse decided we should get our Thanksgiving turkey.  We did so, and then remembered that a nearby Aldi had good sales on fresh cranberries and also celery.

I don't know if you have an Aldi's where you live.  If you do, it is an interesting concept.  Aldi is actually a huge chain in Germany, with stores in various stores on the Continent and also in Great Britain.  In the United States, for some reason, they initially came in as a "bargain" store, with (in my opinion) dirty, ill lit stores.  I would not shop there for years.  You couldn't get a shopping cart without paying a deposit. You had to bag things yourself (and if you didn't bring bags, they would gladly sell them to you.)  The employees "did it all", the same people doing store cleanup, stocking, and cash register.

When my son took German in school, his teacher came in one day with an Aldi ad from Germany.  What a difference!  Aldi in Germany is almost like a combination grocery/department store.  But meanwhile, back in upstate NY...

Due to that ad, we gave them another shot.  'They had seriously upgraded the stores in the meantime, with better lighting and edible produce. So we do shop there on and off, depending on the sales. You can't beat their prices, although I don't think I would ever buy fresh meat there.  But they do have a number of really decent store brands (they sell very little national brands, if you care about that-I don't) and when they have specials on German food....well, they are German.

At one time, their target clientele, to be blunt, was lower income people.  But now with the economy, you find a lot of middle class people in there too.  Times are hard.  I'm grateful for the Johnson City Aldi.  (they've even opened a second store just to the north of Binghamton).

Anyway, there we were getting ready to check out.  We only had three items.  The line was long, although the lines there tend to move quickly.  The person at the back of the line had an overflowing cart. "Here, go ahead of me."  The next person also let us in, and also let go ahead of him a person right behind us who had two items.  His clothes were a little dirty and he walked like he had a stiff leg, with a limp.

We struck up a conversation with the man with the limp.  He had some extra money because he had sold two cars at auction today.  He had been up since 5 am.  It was a good day for him, because he was able to buy another car to fix up and sell.  Best of all, it was his birthday.  He couldn't see why he should spend $30. at Texas Roadhouse [a steakhouse chain in the U.S.] when he could buy some frozen steaks and cook him at home (we don't know if he had a loved one waiting for him.  I hope so).  He was so glad to be spared a few extra minutes on line, so he could get home and rest.

I hope this gentleman had a wonderful rest of the day, due to this random act of kindness.