Wednesday, July 12

An act of kindness

A close friend is recovering from surgery and treatment. It’s been a stressful worrying time and his wife recently recounted an incident to me which highlights the positive effect of continued acts of kindness.

The headlights of their car were not working, so they stopped at Eltham Auto Barn to purchase a globe costing $10. Although parts are not fitted the Store attendant asked a young chap present “would you like to help this women fit the globe”. Our Friends medical position was unknown to them.
The young man proceeded with enthusiasm, realising the old globe has badly melted into its socket requiring the entire assembly to be dismantled involving 40 minutes of tedious work. The husbands frustration at not being able to help his wife soon subsided.

Afterwards the young man told them how much he enjoyed working on cars, thanking them for an opportunity and refusing any monetary reward.

It lifted our friend’s spirits immediately and it was evident in its afterglow a few days later as the story was recounted to me.

Here is a poem about it -

An act of kindness

Kindness of an ordinary man
To strangers he does lend a hand
Can foresee a pressing need
Spirit sowed a thoughtful seed

Globe had melted in headlight
Help from stranger will reunite
Cars model was the one he knew
Problem sorted, cars lights renew

Kindly man swaggers off
Head held high, spirits aloft
Time no issue you understand
Youthful man a man so grand

The moral of a bleeding heart
Compassion knows, intended part
Rewards a giver, tis plain to see
Help to human family

7 comments:

Madcap said...

There are times when I think that being able to recieve is a gift in itself, being able to be "unable" graciously.

It's wonderful when someone smooths our path like that. Lovely story, lovely poem.

White Square said...

Hi Lindsay,
thank you so much for sharing such a lovely poem with us. You have been continuously spreading the good word around. Bravo!

Vee said...

Lindsay, thanks for sharing this wonderful instance that happened in your friend's life. Sometimes it's wonderful to be surprised by such acts of kindness from perfect strangers. Makes you believe in the world being a good place, etc. I guess it was meant to be for them as well, considering their situation.

DellaB said...

Thanks for the poem Lindsay, very motivating... you remind me of a time when I was done an act of kindness, and first heard the term, "random act of kindness" - when I heard it again later I went and looked it up - it comes from a book called 'Don't sweat the small stuff'...

Gary said...

Thanks for the story and honouring it by poetry.

When I heard Senator George McGOven speak recently (ran for US Presidency during Vietnam War years), he said this:

"I have been accused of being a liberal by my countrymen...as if it were a dirty word. I want you to know that I am proud being called a liberal... and I want you to know that I am even prouder to be called a bleeding heart liberal."

Kindness, hearts that feel - momentum of compassion.wm

Rachael Byrnes said...

Dad, you remind me of a modern day travelling minstrel; you travel through the world via blogs and recite your tales from far and near in entertaining prose!

lindsaylobe said...

Hi Madcap,Abhay,Haider,Vee Dellab,Gary & Rachael.

Acts of random kindness and being able to receive graciously lift our spirits and help to bring more meaning to our lives. Compassion does have a momentum

Best wishes