Stories by pattyjw59 (4 matches)

Kindness Karma on a Hot Summer Day

It is so often true that "what goes around, comes around," and that life lessons often walk in through the most unexpected doors. One hot summer, several years ago, my son and I were taking a trip by train. But first we had to take a bus into the city to the station to catch the train. I was a single Mom and as usual, since times were hard and money was very tight, we simply could not afford any extras. So we packed a large lunch bag of snacks and sandwiches, and had a small cooler filled with sodas to get us through the trip. We were still many miles from the train station, out in the middle of nowhere, when the bus suddenly completely broke down. The poor driver was mortified, and after calling ahead to the station, assured us, apologizing over and over, that they were sending another bus to rescue us. We ... Read Full Story >>

A Can of Coke at the Laundromat

I was at the laundramat the other day and the cutest little guy was in there with his Mom.   As he watched TV and trying to help his mom, I learned that his name was Jay.

Jay told his Mom he was thirsty and she told him he'd have to wait a while to get a drink.  A short time later, he asked again and got the same response.  So I approached his Mom and said, "You know, my own son is all grown up now and living so far away. I really miss him. Would you allow me the pleasure of buying your son a soda pop?" She smiled and thanked me, saying yes, calling her son over.

I bought Jay the soda then asked, with his Mom's permission, if he would hand out some smile cards to people he saw that needed a smile. He agreed so I gave him some cards, reminding him not to talk to strangers unless his Mom was with him.

His Mom and I chatted while we finished our laundry and then I left, not only with a warm feeling over buying him the soda, but because it made me miss my own son a wee bit less ... and I made a new friend to boot!

A Clean House And an Apple Pie!

One of my dear friends is having a rough time of it, as her husband of 21 years just walked out and announced he wants a divorce.  She is working full-time while trying to raise two teenagers, and barely has time to think. I told her sister I wished there was something more we could do for her.  "Maybe there is," her sister said, with a twinkle in her eye. We went to my friend's house the other day while she was at work. Her sister has a key to get in. She cleaned up a bit, put fresh flowers on the table, and I left a freshly baked apple pie on the counter. I also put a meal of pot roast and vegetables into her crock pot and plugged it in. Then we left. She called me later that night and told me how much that meant to her. She and ... Read Full Story >>

Healing a Heart with Kindness

I suffer from atrial fibrillation of the heart, and recently had to go through a 5-hour heart stress test to check my arteries and blood flow. I had been very stressed out and fearful of what they might find, and also was uneasy about the upcoming tests.

During one portion of the test, an angel in a nurse's uniform named Julie spent the 30 minutes or so that it took to complete the test answering my many questions, advising me on my choices, and reassuring me that all would be fine and I'd probably live to be 90. 

When I desperately needed someone to share my fears with, just someone to hear me, there she was. And get this: as I prepared to leave, she gave me a big bear hug and told me how blessed SHE was to have met ME!

Her kindness was so sweet and wonderful that when I left there I felt like a million bucks!  On the way home I stopped and bought a cute thank you card and popped it in the mail to her.   All the thank you cards in the world could not express my gratitude to her for being such a light in the darkness when I needed it the most! God bless her always!

The Power of Gifting Flowers

The Domino Effect of Sack Lunches

Confronting Road Rage With Compassion

Painting Mindil with Smiles