Random Act of Kindness of the Day 22 Aug 2007 07:00 am
The Random Act of Kindness of the Day…
Starbucks. I go for a morning walk, a dose of fresh air, and to see people with other things than the hospital world on their minds. Sometimes I feel an urge to chat while ordering…which usually means I’ll start rambling in the middle of their busiest time of the day when they likely are not even interested, which gee-golly only leads to looks of pity and amusement (ask me how I know). So I enter quietly, and get a paper and order a coffee. I wonder if they wonder about the faces they see every day…the students, the workforce…or the faces they see for a time and then vanish…the parents of sick children down the street, here for just awhile.
Today the girl who has made me a daily cup every day for almost a week (except for the day I tried to skip the strong stuff for weaker hospital fare, which took 4 freakin’ cups just to get the same effect) gave me what I thought was a knowing, slighly wary and empathetic smile that yes, it’s a new week and I’m still here. After all, I’m clearly not a student or a commuter. But my reaction was to think I’d imagined it and I went ahead with my quiet order. When I got back to our room I noticed this little smiley face and wondered again if they wonder….
on 22 Aug 2007 at 10:47 am 1.Queenofthehill said …
This “Random Kindness” series you are doing really goes to show that, if you put your heart and soul into your work, there is NO such thing as a dead-end job. Everyone gets to contribute and everyone can really make a difference — even if making a coffee or cleaning a hospital room.
“Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with all your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” –Ecclesiastes 9:10
on 22 Aug 2007 at 10:52 am 2.Susanna a.k.a. Cheap Like Me said …
This is lovely and the comment above, too. I had a time in my life when sometimes the only personal/human contact I had was the barista taking my order, and sometimes my only physical touch for days would happen if our fingers met as we exchanged a cup. It could make my day.
on 22 Aug 2007 at 10:28 pm 3.Tim said …
Random Acts of
Had a similar experience in reverse today. As I was boarding my flight, I realized I had a window seat. I have a long torso and window seats on commuter planes (er…regional jets) are no fun for me. So I waited until I thought everyone had boarded making small talk with the flight attendant PRAYING that the one open aisle seat would stay open. The flight attendant saw an small older woman approaching and said, “She’s in that seat”. As the woman boarded she asked the flight attendant to direct her to her seat. The flight attendant (unbeknowst to me) took her to my window seat (which ended up not mattering since we ALL got off the plane…see today’s blog post). Keep smilin’!
BTW, my SIL has Crohns and lives quite a normal life. Let me know if you ever want to make contact.
on 22 Oct 2008 at 1:57 pm 4.Calixte said …
Thanks for writing this.