 Stephen Grellet
Goooooooood Morning!!!!
I woke up this morning thinking about "kindness". At first, I was struggling to understand why this was a heavy subject on my mind. It was because of something my little family did... yesterday.
Yesterday my family purged their personal belongings on a whim to donate to the local mission. The mission accepts things to put in a big city wide yard sale to raise money for food to feed the local homeless and those struggling to make ends meet. They are forever short of food, but somehow seem to get by.
When they drove up to the unload place, there was used clothing, furniture, toys and shoes everywhere! They were a bit shocked at the quantity and how it was laid out in rows after rows. While they were unloading their things, the director was talking to them about the situation being so poor but was forever grateful or their donations. He was especially interested in my daughter's donation of a collection of porcelain dolls given to her years ago and my son's release of his Nintendo 64 game station and games.
At dinner last night, they proceeded to tell me that they wished they could give large amounts of food to the shelter because they are always short. They began to plot and plan how to get their friends and the neighborhood involved. Talk about pickup loads of food taken to the mission each week occurred. My heart was touched!
I received a "shared by a friend" email with the following message about KINDNESS. After reading this message, I came to understand why "kindness" is so heavy on my mind this morning. I hope it will be on your mind today also. The world needs a whole lot of kindness.
Enjoy!
Hugs to all,
Joe_________________________________________________________
Colleen Gallagher hasn’t had an easy time of it. She has been
struggling to make ends meet as she raises her two sons with no help
from their father. She has been working most recently as a waitress in
an upscale Chicago bar. What happened to her recently will astound you
— perhaps even inspire you.
The CEO of an investment company was in the place where Gallagher
works on April 24. It was a fairly slow time. In addition to
conversation with some of his business associates, John Boc also talked
with the woman serving their table. It became apparent to him that she
was, in his words, “feeling blue” and discouraged over the tough
situation she was facing with her boys.
When it came time to pay, Boc told Ms. Gallagher to add a $1,000 tip to the tab!
Stunned and not sure the offer was something other than a cruel joke,
she prepared the credit-card slip. Boc signed it. But that’s only the
beginning.
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“Life’s too short to be feeling blue.” |
As tears of gratitude started to pour down the
woman’s cheeks, Boc pulled some credit cards out of his pocket, fanned
them like a hand of playing cards, and told the waitress, “Pick a
card.” When she reached and took his Platinum Visa in hand, he said,
“Take that card and go give yourself $10,000.” A flabbergasted
Gallagher remembers him saying, “Life’s too short to be feeling blue.”
Indeed, her spirits must have brightened considerably that day with a total of $11,000 in tips.
Strange as it sounds, this astonishing story — from the Boston
Herald, Reuters, and CNN News — isn’t the first one about John Boc’s
generous tips. This one was unusually generous, though, even by his
standards. After researching it to be sure there was nothing
fraudulent, the credit card company issued a check for the April deed
of generosity last week. Ms. Gallagher reportedly plans to use the
money toward the purchase of an apartment.
There was no flirting. No request for a phone number. No strings
attached. One rich person showed kindness toward a struggling person in
his world.
Can’t give $11,000 to someone today? Me either! But I can do
something thoughtful for someone sick or homebound. You can thank
someone for making your workplace more pleasant. I can double or triple
the next tip I give. You can write a note to your Sunday School
teacher. You can think of appropriate people and creative things to do
for them. And be sure not to forget strangers.
Life’s too short — and too hard — for us not to care about one another.
© 2001, Rubel Shelly. From Rubel Shelly's "FAX of Life" printed each Tuesday. See Faith Matters for previous issues of the "FAX of Life."
Title: "Kindness: Everybody Needs It"
Author: Rubel Shelly
Publication Date: July 24, 2001
_________________________________________________________ I want to tell each of you thank you for being my friend. I look forward each day to logging into Adland to see who has been having fun, won an award, laughed, cried, hugged or just stopped by.
Thank you for being a special part of my life.
I wish you all to be blessed with wealth to share as this man has done.
More hugs always,
Joe
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