Dear Reader:

Can’t just one little act of kindness turn your day upside down?

It might just be a smile, a small courtesy, or a compliment…it doesn’t really matter…. the act itself isn’t as important as how it made you feel when you received it.

I remember hearing one time a minister saying that grace and kindness are and will always be interwoven…you can’t separate them…because God gave us grace-unconditional love and forgiveness…the kindest act in all the universe….and all God expects in return is for us to ‘pay it forward’ to our fellow man.

I was on the receiving end of a “little act of kindness” earlier this week. I had gone to the Dollar General Monday to pick up some detergent, paper towels, cleaning products, and toilet paper.

It wasn’t until the next day (when I opened the hamper where I keep the toilet paper) that I noticed nothing was in there. ‘That’s strange’ I thought…I remembered putting everything else up…I had bought a package of toilet paper (12 rolls)  on a sale aisle for just four dollars. (Obviously I am not too picky about toilet paper…unless it feels like sand paper)

I went and looked in the car and everywhere else I could think of ….but there was no bag with the toilet paper lying around anywhere.

“Darn it” I thought…I bet I forgot to get all the bags off the carousel. I had long ago thrown away the receipt but I thought it was worth a chance to call the store and see if a bag of toilet paper was being kept behind the counter.

After I explained the situation…the clerk looked and returned to the phone saying there was nothing under the counter and asked if I still had the receipt. I told her “no”…unfortunately I didn’t realize it was missing until the next day.

“Never mind” said the clerk...just come on in and get another package.”

“Excuse me” I uttered in disbelief…I can really just come in and get another package of the toilet paper on sale?”

“Sure….why not..you paid for it?”

Still stunned I told her I was on my way. A few minutes later I saw a young lady at the Dollar General counter and asked if she was the one I had talked to and she said “Yes”…. Oh, by the way, we moved those sales packages of toilet paper to the last aisle…”

I picked up another package and when I walked to the counter…she said “Oh good…you found’em….”

“Are you sure about this?” I asked…”I feel badly about not having a receipt…obviously it was my own fault for forgetting to pick the bag up…I can pay you the four dollars.”

“What toilet paper?” she laughed and winked…”I didn’t see anybody walk in here, pick up some toilet paper, and leave..did you?” 

It was only then that she grew serious…“Lady…why would anyone call the store and then lie to me about some missing toilet paper….you sounded very kind on the phone and I know you are honest…if we can’t trust each other…what kind of example are we setting for our children?”

“I hope you have a blessed day” she said as she left to continue working on some inventory.

“I just did” I responded…she grinned and I smiled…it just takes a little kindness.

Last night I wondered…What if God gave us a dollar for every act of kindness we gave to others while on this earth…would we be rich in more ways than “one”….then later I thought “What if God took away a dollar for every time we had an opportunity to be kind to someone and didn’t?…what would our financial ledger look like then?

One of my favorite country singers…Glenn Campbell…is in the last stages of Alzheimer’s. In an article I read while in the Speedee waiting room last week…there was an observation (in it) from one of his daughters who had gone to see him (last month) in his care facility.

Even though he is long past recognizing loved ones…he still smiles when anyone walks in his room to see him…and the only thing he is interested in is a hug (no dollar) and trying to make the other person smile…( he will grab a french fry off his tray and pretend he is smoking a cigar…hoping to get his “guest” to laugh)

Kindness is so ingrained in him that even now his last thoughts are on other people…not him. Perhaps that is why he is such a beloved artist.

So it only seems appropriate to end with one of my favorite songs of Glenn Campbell…“Try a little Kindness”  

Lyrics:

If you see your brother standing by the road
With a heavy load from the seeds he sowed
And if you see your sister falling by the way
Just stop and say you’re goin’ the wrong way
You’ve got to try a little kindness yes show a little kindness
Yes shine your light for everyone to see
And if you’ll try a little kindness and you’ll overlook the blindness
Of the narrow minded people on the narrow minded streets

Don’t walk around the down and out lend a helping hand instead of doubt
And the kindness that you show every day will help someone along their way
You’ve got to try a little kindness…
You’ve got to try a little kindness…

The Glen Campbell Music Show Intro/Try a Little Kindness …

So until tomorrow…Let’s take a chance on people….after all God took a chance on us…undeserving us…look what happened…we have life and love…let’s pay it forward.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh