Isn’t it interesting that when your mind is focused on something you get to experience it almost immediately? Well, it sure happened to me this morning. Yesterday I issued the “Give A Little Love Kindness Challenge” so opportunities to offer kindness is my focus right now. I had a great opportunity to offer kindness and as I reflected on it, I realized there were some similarities. Let me explain.
This morning I went to work out at the club at 6:00 AM. I finished up in time to catch my wife before she left for work but on the way home something changed that. On the opposite side of a red light, a lady in a truck was stalled. She got out of the truck, let people know behind her that the tuck wouldn’t start. When I got the green light to turn, I pull into a bank close by to see what I could do to help. As I approached her, I noticed that she had a toddler in a car seat and was worried with him being in the stalled car. I told her that I could try to push it to a side street to get it off the busy main 6 lane road.
She was very grateful someone stopped to help her but it got better. As I was standing there I saw a car pull over. 3 Hispanic guys came running over to help. With their help, we were able to push the car into the gas station and out of harms way. They drove off and we thanked them profusely. It didn’t stop there though. The lady did not have her purse with her so she did not have a phone. I let her borrow mine but didn’t connect with anyone. I then got her truck to start and offered to follow her home to make sure she and her child were safe if it stopped running again. Then I noticed it was spraying transmission fluid. Smoke was pouring out but I also noticed it was running hot. I told her it was too much of a risk to try to drive it home.
I then offered to give her a ride home. She accepted so I went into the gas station to let them know that we were leaving it there but someone would check on it later. I could tell that the lady was about to lose it so I let her know that I had been in the same situation many times. I let her know that my wife’s car had broken down before and had to rely on strangers to help when I couldn’t get there. We talked all the way back and upon leaving, she said, “I cannot thank you enough. I don’t know what I would have done if you didn’t come along. I wish I had something to give you.” I immediately said that even if she had, I wouldn’t have accepted it anyway. I told her that maybe the truck needs a little TLC and would be up and running in no time.
What I find interesting is that another time when I issued a Kindness Challenge, I had a kindness opportunity involving a car. It was a flat tire that time. (See that blog post by clicking here) The funny thing is that it was also auto related. I now know where to go to practice “automotive” kindness and maybe you can go there too. It is at the Shell gas station on 2499 and Sagebrush. Maybe I will see you there!
With peace and kindness,
Bill
Well, today marks the final day of the Kindness Challenge. I hope that by some small way this challenge has prompted several of you to do kind deeds. But you know what? Just because the Kindness Challenge ended today doesn’t mean that you should stop doing kind deeds for others and yourself. The main purpose of this challenge was to get you thinking about doing kindness consciously on a daily basis.
challenge? I thought about this a lot over the past few days. I believe my answer is that if a single person participated in the challenge and completed at least one kind deed, then yes, this was a successful challenge.
Today is Christmas Eve and my traditional time to shop with my sister for last minute gifts. Yesterday it was nearly 80 degrees but when we left to go shopping this afternoon, it was nearly blizzard conditions. Unbelievable weather but we will have a WHITE CHRISTMAS here in Texas! Sa-WEET! Today was fill with giving. It just makes me feel so good inside when I am able to help others and do kind things for them. Then sometime I even get to watch as they return the favor to others.
and why we kindness challenges here at 
What am I grateful for? Well, that one is easy! Today marks my 24th wedding anniversary with my awesomely, beautiful wife! She has been my inspiration, my joy, my happiness, my teacher, my love and my soulmate. I am so grateful to have met her and I know for a fact that I would not be who I am today without her.