Extraordinary Kindness by a Stranger; the conclusion

I have this idea.

Well, actually it’s more of a gut feeling, which might cause a bit of eye-rolling skepticism. But here it is.

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I believe that kindness is an experience that has a life of its own. And that an act of altruistic giving to another, creates this serendipitous magic in the universe, a positive energy that lifts up everyone who comes in contact with its aftermath.

Here’s my latest example.

In my recent post, Extraordinary Kindness by a Stranger, I wrote about a woman named Margi, who had found my son’s stolen driver’s license three hundred miles away from us, and returned it with beautiful note. I openly wondered about this stranger, and concluded by offering up my post as a tribute to her, hoping that my gratitude might reach her, where ever she was.

Well two things happened. First, while I was in Maui, I received a short, cryptic email from someone thanking me profusely for my post. She told me that she knew Margi, and that she was one of the nicest people in the world, and mentioned that Margi had cried with happiness when she read my words.

Then, yesterday I received an email from Margi herself. And this is what she wrote.

She told me the story of being at the football field at San Luis Obispo High School, where she was setting up for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life when she asked her daughter where Gold River was. She mentioned the driver’s license, and wondered out loud if my son Patrick would receive it. Later, when she was checking the mail, she was shocked to see our thank you card. She wrote, “How could that be??? I was just telling this story not an hour earlier.”

But it wasn’t until four days later, after raising money to benefit the American Cancer Society, that she finally had time to read our thank you and learn about her story on my blog. These are a few of her own words,

“I have to tell you…I cried… I was blown away…that was the nicest (tribute)..because the next day was my 60th birthday and what you wrote was the best birthday present ever!”

Oh, and she did answer my rhetorical question. She wrote,

“You got me thinking about….Why did I do what I did?? And I think it is because I too am a mom…and I would hope that if that happened to one of my kids..that someone would do the same thing…”

A mother’s heart. And empathy for another human being. That was the feeling behind her random act of kindness.

I answered Margi by telling her that I thought she would like Patrick, and I mentioned some of his own kindness to others. I told her how he had once jumped into a river and saved a man and his dog when he was fifteen years old. And afterwards, how he refused to ever discuss it and was horrified when his college coach suggested he use the story for his college essay.

And many of my readers will remember the Happy Ending with the hurt fawn that Patrick found on the side of the road. Animal lovers will like that post.

But mostly, I wanted to thank Margi for making contact. Because I can’t tell you how good it felt to hear about the wonderful timing with her birthday, and the flood of good feelings that our gratitude brought her.

Are you hearing what I’m hearing? American Cancer Society. Helping others. Stopping for hurt animals. Getting involved. People like Margi and Patrick don’t spend a lot of time thinking about their good acts. But look how they found each other. Interesting, don’t you think?

It brings me back to my original point, which is this. I believe our kind actions leave behind a trail of positive energy and goodness in the universe, no matter how big or inconsequential they might seem. Does it solve our life’s problems? Of course not. But I happen to think that we invite happiness into our lives when we join the action and spread a bit of this magical energy around.

Margi’s act of kindness was a single snapshot in our busy lives; but it reminded me that the random goodness that we offer to others, comes back and finds us when we least expect it.

Or I should say, because we don’t expect it.

What do you think?

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Wishing you a lovely day, my friends.

Leslie

 

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