Stories by Jolie (4 matches)

A Tribute To My Precious Grandma Who Taught Me Kindness

Zippy is the word that was so at the tip of my tongue when trying to sum up my precious Grandma Arneson.  She is the matriach in our family.  I'm paying tribute to her today because she has instilled in me a lot of the core values I have towards kindness. 

Grandma Arneson is the most beautiful grandma imaginable.  She has a dimple, ocean blue eyes, and she paints her town red with lipstick kisses (on her grandchildren) :)  You haven't been to Grandma's house until you get the seal of love which is a bright red lipstick kiss on your cheek.

My Grandma is extrememly energetic, practically bursting with love and joy at the seams -- it is a visible shower of love.  That is the only way I can describe being around her.  The minute you walk in her door, she plants a kiss on you and is antsy to feed you all her goodies she has been stockpiling for your visit.

I'm going to visit her today and I can't wait to get a kiss from the one who taught me, Emmy, be kind. 

I love you Grandma Arneson!!

I hope all of you reflect a little about  your Grandma's after reading this post :)

Turning Concern into Kindness

I was at my local grocery store, and I had just put my items on the conveyor belt to be scanned, I decided to start up a conversation with the cashier. 

Most of the time, I won't initate a conversation because I don't want the person to be distracted and overcharge me.  Well, I let that fear go and decided I would show interest. 

The cashier was a woman and being a woman myself it was easy to find something to talk about.  She was wearing the most beautiful ring.  I commented on it,  and she told me all about it, who gave it to her.  I found out she was from Nevada.  She had a lot to say about Las Vegas.  I told her, I don't know if I would want to live in a place called Sin City.  

So far,  I haven't checked the reciept yet, because the point was to set my concerns aside for once and give a dollop of kindness to somebody. :)

Remembering Gaspar's Gratefulness

My brother brought home a young man named Gaspar for the holidays many years ago.  He was from Africa and was studying in the United States. He stayed with our family for a week. He was so grateful and gracious. During that week, I remembered he helped me with my studies, chemistry in particular because that wasn't my strong suit.  He taught me a little of his native language, Swahili.  I still remember that 'poa' means cool!!  I taught him 'Heart and Song' on the piano.  It was a cultural awakening for me.  When Gaspar came to the United States he couldn't go home until his college education was done.  He was very appreciative of our family.  In fact, I have never met a person as humble and grateful as he was, to this day.  At the end of the week, he gave us all an emblem from his culture.  What he gave me was a bracelet ... Read Full Story >>

More Importantly, How Are You?

I would never have expected to learn a powerful life lesson while waiting for a massage!

I was restlessly waiting for my masseuse. I was in desperate need of some relaxation because rigorous army phyiscal training was turning my body into a stiff board. 

Then, in walked my lesson - a man whose face and body bore the horrible scars of many conflicts.  His treatment probably involved much more than just a massage.

He sat next to me and I said, "How are you, sir?"  He replied, "More importantly, how are you?" 

How could someone who had suffered such pain take time to care about how I was? Well, suffering is what makes us or breaks us. Suffering can make us bitter, or it can make us better. 

Clearly, this man of war had accepted his own pain and, through it, had acquired a greater empathy for the pain of others. 

He touched my life forever by that one statement.  May God bless his life!