A Spin Cycle of Kindness

--by pluto178, posted Feb 8, 2011

When I moved into my new house it already had a washing machine in it but I had just bought a new one so I wondered what to do with the machine already in the house. I remembered two girls who regularly knocked at my door for religious reasons.

They never had or kept anything they didnt need. If one of them needed something, say a winter coat, they would work for the amount of time it took to make the money they needed for the coat and then return to their religious work. They had just got their own house so I decided to give them all the things I didn't need when I was done unpacking. Whatever they didn't need, they could give to the charity store they helped support.

I asked them if they needed a washing machine and they both looked at each other and smiled. It turns out that they had called on a complete stranger the week before, a single mother with a toddler and a new born baby to cope with. She had been washing clothes by hand in the sink when they had called on her. When they got home they discussed the fact that the woman probably needed their washing machine more than they did so they gave it to her. And now it seems their goodness had come to them in return as they would be able to have my washing machine.

If I felt good about giving away the things I no longer needed, it came to nothing when I realised that I still had a washing machine and would not have considered giving it away to someone who had more need of it. I was only giving away a spare or only doing what any good person should do, but to give away your possessions to a complete stranger, just because they need them more, is truly amazing!

These two girls taught me something about real giving that day.

5217 Reads

Posted by pluto178
Feb 8, 2011
Comments (17)

Readers Comments

MakeSomeoneSmile wrote: What a great story, thank you for sharing and bless your kind heart! :)

KristinP wrote: Beautifully told.

CharlieB wrote: What a wonderful story and i am so glad that you were able to return the good deed/favor to them and replace their machine

Ollie wrote: What a beautiful story. It is very true that what goes around comes around. God bless you and those two lovely women.

Loyal wrote: You and the two young ladies truly exemplify the real meaning of random acts of kindness.

susana wrote: Indeed, you have rightly put it, it was a spin cycle of kindness. One thing i have come to realise is that doing acts of kindness benefits the person doing them more that those for whom one os doing them, just like the bible tells us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. And yet, i think learning kindness is a lifelong lesson. Thanks for the post, it has been a great inspiration to me, that real kindness is about putting the needs of the other person above our personal needs

jjjk wrote: Good 4 u

lala wrote: Wowzo! Thats just heartwarming! That made my day!

pluto178 wrote: Thanks for all your lovely comments re this story it has really warmed me. Lynda x

aprilannie wrote: Wonderful.

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