Fun Monday–Help Somebody if You Can…

Nikki is hosting Fun Monday this week, after a much deserved week off. Now it’s time we do something. Have you ever had someone out of the goodness of their heart do something for you without anything asked in return? Offered you money when you needed it the most? Helped you change a flat tire in the pouring rain or even just simply held the door open for you when you had your hands full? For Monday, September 10th, we are challenged with doing a good deed. I am not looking for a story of when you have offered your help in the past, I actually want you in the next two weeks to go out and help someone. Go visit a nursing home, cook dinner for someone sick or with a new baby, donate to a charity or even send just a “thinking of you card” to someone who needs it. It doesn’t matter what your good deed is, or how great it is. It just needs to help someone!

I will start out by saying that in the past I have been a big supporter of “pay it forward” or as the country group Van Zant says “help somebody if you can.” I’m one of those people that runs after wayward carts in the WalMart parking lot and pushes them back to the corral when everyone else leaves them 3 spots away because they’re too lazy to put them away themselves. I live by the golden rule, which is harder than it sounds. In the last month, I’ve sent a thinking of you card to an older gentleman in my hometown with cancer, sent 2 friends diaper coupons in the mail, and asked my husband to take off work a day early for Thanksgiving so we can go help my mom clean her house for the 40-75 people who will descend there come November 22. This week I allowed my husband to go on a 2 day resentment-free trip alone on the only 3 day weekend I’ll get anytime soon for quality time together (with the only complaint being he didnt call me to tell me he made it okay) to do something he wanted and emailed his grandmother to see how she was doing after getting out of the hospital. I’m continuing to work on a secret project for my youngest sister in law for her high school graduation, 5 years away.

Okay so yesterday provided the perfect opportunity. My hubby’s truck fan sliced the radiator. hot water gushed, and well let’s just say this is the second time we’ll be shelling out $400 for a radiator in 2 years. I kept a level head. I was supportive. I hugged and provided comfort food. Most of all, I didnt complain about the cost. You can’t put a price on what matters, having each other and having faith that we’ll be taken care of. And we have both. We’re so lucky.

13 Comments

  1. It’s all these little things that make a difference to someone else’s life. Shame about the radiator but you did the right thing- grin, support and bear the cost.

  2. Ah…attitude is everything, and it sounds like you’ve got a healthy perspective on life.

    I’m a firm believer (practicer?) in it’s the little things that make a lot of difference; it’s a way of life. I’ve found if you can train your kids to consider the preciousness of others, you’ve accomplished a lot!

    Sorry about your radiator, I hate it when those things happen!

  3. Thanks for catching that cart for me! Kidding, I put mine up. Mostly.

    Sorry to hear about the radiator, but, very thoughtful of you to not bring up the cost and everything. You husband was probably stressed enough.

  4. OMG! Did you say 40-75 people are coming to your mom’s house for Thanksgiving?!?! Holy cow! We’re having Thanksgiving dinner here at our house this year and I’m worried about 13 people! (of course, 5 of them are kids. I’m not so good with the kids.) But hey! That’s what the kiddies table is for! ;-P

    I also try to live by the Golden Rule. I think the world would be a better place if more people did too! (and seriously, what’s with leaving the shopping carts right beside the cart return, or in the handicapped spaces! That just irks me!)

  5. I always say you can tell a persons character by if they return shopping carts to the carousel and if they throw garbage in the proper receptacles. You have passed the test!!!

    Curious about the gift for your sis.

  6. I so push the cart back to the corrall too! It’s more guilt driven than anything though. And thank you for reminding me I am due for a good deed. I have no clue what it will be…hmmm.

    And it’s awesome that you didn’t get mad over the radiator or complain about the cost. I would have been severely bothered by it without trying to conceal my feelings. I shall take this that I heard from you and apply it to the next situation which will undoubtedly happen to my husbands POS car at any given moment. Thanks for the inspiration to be less…b!tchy!

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