Fun Monday - Do Unto Others

Nikki is hosting this week's Fun Monday, the challenge this week was truly a challenge. Not a challenge in the sense of it being something tough to do (although, for some, it may actually be), but more a challenge in terms of the fact that she wanted us to get out there and do something. And not just do something, but do something nice.

In her own words:

"We've seen your shelves, peeked inside your cabinets, looked at what your house looks like in both the summer and winter, viewed at some of our handmade pieces and even talked about our best friends. Now it's time we do something. Have you ever had someone out of the goodness of their heart do something for you without anything asked in return? Offered you money when you needed it the most? Helped you change a flat tire in the pouring rain or even just simply held the door open for you when you had your hands full? For Monday, September 10th, we are challenged with doing a good deed. I am not looking for a story of when you have offered your help in the past, I actually want you in the next two weeks to go out and help someone. Go visit a nursing home, cook dinner for someone sick or with a new baby, donate to a charity or even send just a "thinking of you card" to someone who needs it. It doesn't matter what your good deed is, or how great it is. It just needs to help someone!"

So there you have it, we had our marching orders. Of course, I, being the space case that I am, promptly forgot all about it for two weeks. Thankfully, I am actually the sort of person who performs mini-good deeds on a pretty regular basis, so those two weeks did not go by without my doing nice things. I know the rules say I was supposed to PURPOSELY go out and perform good deeds during these two weeks. And maybe I didn't do them with Fun Monday in mind...but they happened within the two weeks anyway, so I'm going to say they count.

I also feel like I shouldn't be taking credit for some of these things, because they aren't really done with expectations of recognition...I do these things because I should, because it matters that I do...but, it is Fun Monday, so here goes:

• My friend DD's grandmother passed away on Tuesday last week. She had been ailing for quite a while now, and her passing wasn't necessarily a surprise, but as with the loss of any loved one, it was still a tough time for my friend and her family. I worked an extremely busy and full day on Tuesday, and then had to do my grocery shopping after work (which happens to be my least favorite chore). I was exhausted and couldn't wait to get home. Yet, I made it a point to stop by DD's house on my way home, to give her a hug, and just hang out with her for a bit. This is what friends do, and there really wasn't much thought to it, I knew instantly, upon hearing of her loss, that I would do it.
• I made it through the week without smacking any of my coworkers. This may not sound like a good deed, but trust me, if you'd had to deal with some of the stuff I dealt with last week, you'd know.
• On Friday the weather was gorgeous, and knowing it might be one of the last evenings of the year that I might get to enjoy the pool, I was looking forward to rushing to mom's (and the pool) right after work. However, DD's grandmother's wake was on Friday evening. Therefore, I headed there after work instead, and wound up skipping the pool in favor of offering my friend some support.
• Yesterday I invited mom to go shopping with me. We headed off to the Christmas Tree Shop and surrounding stores. Obviously someone slipped a nastiness pill into the water yesterday, because EVERYONE we encountered had a mood to be reckoned with. The fact that I didn't hurt anyone on this shopping escapade could certainly be considered my good deed, but I took it one step further. When we stopped at a grocery store to pick up some items, our cashier was a young teenage boy with a smile on his face, and actual interest in interacting with his customers. Before I left I made sure to thank him for being the first "pleasant" cashier we had encountered all day. I told him he'd made our day, and by the smile on his face, I could tell I'd made his.

Here's what I know about performing so called "good deeds": if you make them a regular part of your daily life, it actually does make a difference. Not only do you influence the world around you, but it lifts your spirits as well. It's kind of like that commercial where one person holds a door for someone, and that person goes on to pick up a dropped toy, and so on and so forth. A smile begets a smile...try it, you might surprise yourself.

Be sure to visit Nikki for other do-gooders. And next week's fun Monday is being hosted by Sayre. Be sure to stop by.