“How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.” – Wayne Dyer
“Our deeds determine us as much as we determine our deeds.” – George Elliot
I’ve been bitching and moaning about my daughter’s school district (and rightfully so) and people on Facebook have been awesome about sharing their own fights and struggles and just giving cyber chocolate and hugs, and I think it’s time for a giveaway – the first of several in the coming weeks.
I truly believe in karma – reaping what you sow – and sometimes it’s a slow process, but I truly believe people get what they deserve – good, bad or indifferent. Sometimes, all it takes is a reminder of how many good people are out there, willing to do a good deed or give a kind word or lend an ear or a shoulder.
And you know, sometimes when I write posts like this, I know there are people who think it’s all Pollyanna (totally did not know there were two l’s in that word, btw) and crap – here’s my thing – I think too many people mistake kindness for weakness. But hey, that’s their problem – and I think we need a lot more kindness out there.
So, for today’s giveaway prize – it’s a $50 Amazon Gift Card! All you have to do to be eligible to win is to tell me, in the comments, the last time someone did something that made you smile or gave you comfort…you don’t have to give a whole story or private details if you don’t want to…just the bare bones is fine. Share the Karma!
This giveaway is open until this Wednesday at noon EST - I’ll draw the winner and announce on Wednesday afternoon / evenining – all depends on when baby boy allows me computer time.
Morning(still on the West Coast) Stephanie!
I completely agree about karma. The last time I really smiled about the actions of others was when a mom at my 6 year old’s school called to tell me that my baby took care of her son on the playground. The boys were all playing and her son wound up being punched in the stomach by another kid. Sam stopped everything to make sure his buddy was ok and then took him to the recess attendant and explained what happened. The other boy went home saying how wonderful it was to have a friend like Sammy. ~swoon~
So, not about me directly, but it fits.
My dad vacumed my bedroom and mopped my bathroom floor. He is a sweetie. He also came and got me to see the wild turkeys in the field next to the house.
It was nice just the two of us sitting, talking and watching nature. No matter how old I get I guess I will always be daddy’s little girl.
My story isn’t directly related to me either, but my 13 year old son Jordan. For the past 4 years he has made sack lunches for the homeless, this was his idea and he does all the shopping and preparing of these meals, my only job is to drive him around to pass them out. This past summer our local government passed a law that says you are no longer allowed to pass things out of your car to a homeless person. Jordan took it upon himself to write a letter to the city and tell them that it will not stop him for doing what he loves, he will just get out of the car, he said he needs the exercise anyways. (I love him, he is the one good thing I can always count on)
Once again our government is so concerned about things it shouldn’t be instead of finding ways to help the homeless they make it more dificult to do so. Sometimes you gotta shake your head and wonder if you have to be dumb to be a politician. You have a wonderful son.
Thank you, I think he is pretty wonderful ;o)
The last time my family had an occasion to need the kindness of others was when my granddaughter was born. My daughter had tried for seven years to get pregnant and when she finally did we were all ecstatic. A few days before her 23rd week she was admitted to the hospital and told the baby stood no chance at that point and if she could hold onto her another week she MIGHT have a slight chance. She hung on two more days and on her exact 23rd week they told us she would have to be born because she had lost most of her amniotic fluid. My daughter had what is called an imcompetant cervix and they don’t discover this until it happens, by then it’s too late. They came and talked to us from the NICU and told us she had NO chance of survival. We asked them if they would try to save her and they said if she tried to draw a breath they’d try to save her. They discussed funeral homes and everything with us, it was beyond devastating. I’d leave my daughter long enough to go into the hall and break down, she was so strong. The kind nurses set aside a labor and delivery room next door just for our family so we didn’t have to sit in the waiting room with all the other happy expectant families. It was a great kindness to us as it was hard to sit in the room with all the happy people. Not that we begrudged them, we didn’t, it just was hard to see all that joy when we were in such despair. My youngest daughter who had two children already stayed in the room while our little girl was being born. She came out fighting and they got her to the NICU weighing 1 pound 2.7 ounces and was 11 1/2 inches long. We had her baptised that night because she was so critical. She spent 4 months in the NICU and got to come home a few days before her actual due date. All the people at the hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network people were very supportive of all of us and they will never know how much their support meant to all of us. I will never doubt that miracles happen every day because Payton is a living miracle to God’s glory. So all I can add is please support Children’s Miracle Network. If not for the equipment they had purchased for the NICU Payton would have had a much rougher time. So kindness does pay. For their kindness my daughter donated all the preemie clothes to the NICU so other little ones could benefit from them.
That is such a wonderful story so glad your grandaughter was a fighter. God is so wonderful.
It truly is a miracle and I am so happy for your family and Payton who fought and won:)
Well my husband has had to travel out of state for work alot lately and the kids and I find it hard with him gone all the time. The last trip home was a very short one after a few weeks gone. After 3 days he had to go again. Feeling sad I had to run to the post office with my daughter and as I was putting her in the car. I spotted a card. My husband had left me a loving card in the car to let me know he loves me. He surpeises me always. What he didn’t know until later was that I had slipped one for him in his luggage when I packed it. Great minds think alike.
awww… now that is something to smile about:) how sweet:)
I agree, what comes around goes around!
What made me smile??? Being told my teenager is always behaved and well mannered. (Of course, they weren’t talking about home behavior). It reinforced to me, that even if it didn’t seem like it at the time, they listened when their Dad and I were teaching them respect and manners.
The last time something made me smile is probably finding out someone is going to send a quilt to a family friend, because they have cancer. they just volunteered!!
Last Christmas, I was going through a very difficult time in my life. I had been unemployed for almost two months, with no income or health insurance. Due to the circumstances of my unemployment, I had to have a hearing to determine my eligibility for unemployment. My benefits weren’t granted until New Year’s Eve! I was so depressed and worried about everything, but most of all I was worried about my cats. I was so afraid that I would not be able to provide their food and keep a roof over our heads. My cats already had a rough start in life because they are all rescue and abuse cases. During this time, I lost a couple of friends who didn’t understand my situation. However, most of my friends supported me and surprised me with food, household necessities, and most important of all….cat food! Someone submitted my name to a local church for their Christmas food giveaway, and even the church added cat food to the food box! One of my friends sent me an anonymous money order “from a friend”, but I knew exactly who sent it! I was overwhelmed, humbled, and amazed by the generosity of my friends and by people whom I had never met. I had been really down, but I was lifted up…way up! All of my immediate family is gone, but I have a wonderful family of friends and felines! >^,,^<
Last week at the supermarket, a lady in the same aisle saw that we were looking at the cereal’s and came over to give us a coupon to see if we might be able to use it. I thought it was very nice of her to that.
At a roamance book conference and them listing the charity work that the authors had raised money for. They had gotten tickets for a mother and daughter that needed a break that the conference would give them.
My daughter makes me smile – I have three girls but my youngest just says the funniest things. She doesn’t try to be funny – she just is. this week she said something that resulted in me having tears running down my face.
Also, I hosted a shower for 2 friends (both were expecting) and they were very appreciative – that made me feel like it was all worth it
The last time somebody did something nice for me? Well, the other day I was feeling really sorry for myself, though I never said so. And out of the blue one of my newish friends on Twitter told me she thought I was awesome. Totally made my day.
And a couple of weeks ago I got the giggles just because a guy I like said “thanks” to something I said to him. In fact, I still get the giggles over it.
Hi Stephanie! I’m sorry that you have been having trouble with the school, I have been there many times and it sucks! I Have 3 recent stories but they are all about my kids. First I have to say that I think living with a special needs sibling gives kids an understanding that they wouldnt get without them.
My first story is about my Autistic son. Jacob is 10 and is very high functioning. There is a boy in his class who has downs syndrome. Since the beginning of the school year Jacob has taken this boy and made him his buddy. He helps him when ever he needs it. So even though Jacob is special needs he still sees when others need help and is willing to do it.
My second story is about my 5 year old daughter. Because she is used to how her brother is with his quirks and stuff she is so much more understanding. There was a little girl who has some special needs, Im not sure what, but she had a melt down out on the playground and my daughter who is use to melt downs helped calm the girl and then played with her.
The last was my youngest. He’s 4. My neighbors daughter has Kabuki syndrome. She’s 3. My son is just head over heels for her. He let her ride his little bike wile he pushed her because her legs hurt to walk. He is always trying to help her. It is so cute! I am very proud of all three of my kids!
Have a wonderful day!
The last thing that happened to me that totallly blew me away and warmed my heart was last winter. We moved from Washington to California three years ago and I’ve been missing my family like crazy. Growing up, it was my mom and my sister and me for the longest time and my mom always referred to us as the 3 amigos. Moving to California because of my husbands job was heartbreaking for the three of us. We’ve been super close and my kids and my sisters kids were like best friends. Lots of tears ensued. It’s hard to go home to visit, the drive is hard on my younger kids, gas is crazy and flying and buying 5 plane tickets is crazy. We don’t get home much, once a year in the summer at most. Holiday’s is a never, because of the 3 passes that we would have to drive through that fill up with snow. My sister’s upcoming 30th birthday was approaching last December and I was in a sour mood that I would miss the big 30. Her husband was planning a big party and out of no where he called my husband at work talked to him about taking time off to watch the kids and bought me a plane ticket home for the weekend of her party. He told me a birthday party without me wouldn’t be the same. Of course she didn’t know I would be there and when she walked in the room and everyone yelled surprise I walked out of the group of people and honestly, no one in that room didn’t have a tissue. It was the best trip home ever!!
I’ve been getting a lot of support in the last week or so since we found out my cat has liver cancer. The little things people do mean a lot, I even had a teacher change an assignment for me alone so I didn’t have to write about death knowing I will probably have to put my cat to sleep within a month.
Completely agree with you on karma. Why I try to do good deeds now and then just for the sheer heck of it all. Between getting a cart at a shopping center for the elderly or by opening up doors for people to winning Young Adult books to send to a friend who has a friend who’s teenage daughter got diagnosised with cancer. Small little things like that makes me feel good.
This was nothing major but I was grateful for the woman. Since I brought out the winter clothes, my washer and dryer works fifty percent of the time. So we have been coming to the laundry mat once a week. The place was busy but not packed. Two ladies had monopolized the dryers.
This woman noticed me waiting for another dryer to open up. We had two baskets (one jeans and one shirts). She calls over to me “Dear I’m done with this. It even has some coins still in it.” Then when another of her dryers got freed up, she offered it too to me with some coins in it.
It made me feel that there is some redemption for humankind. There are the rare few who do think about others.
When my husband cleaned the kitchen and bathroom for me!
Hmmmm……i believe it wasn’t what made me smile but what touched my heart. i was doing my clinicals for nursing school at a nursing home. i was giving an older man his meds crushed in applesauce and i had to spoon feed him. somehow a little came out and started dripping down his chin. “oops let me get that for you.” i said and grabbed a napkin to help wipe it off. he then asked me where i learned to be so kindi and was it something my nursing school taught me. it brought an overwhelming warmth to my heart and a tear to my eye probably just because i never expected gratitude. i asked him if he wanted to know the secret to my kindness. he nodded. i told him it was my parents who taught me to be kind.:) he just smiled at me and it made my day.
Using my Mother’s lap top curse, curse….
Living in the land of special ed I empathise. But this year is going well… we’re in Grade 6 and 4 – about time, eh? One teacher put in the sensory/social programs without muss or fuss. The other taught my kid in 2 weeks what I couldn’t in 8.5yrs… ride a bike.
Both are enjoying school and doing well…. hopefully, yours will get sorted out soon.
S.
I know this is off subject, the last smile someone gave me was a couple days ago, The Dr said mom was going to be OK, oxygen level low, after hospital stay, put her on oxygen. I was thinking the worst.
My sister is 2000 miles away from me and yesterday I left a message on her answering machine telling her I was in a crappy mood and just wanted to vent.I was in the kitchen when I hear her voice which made me think I was crazy but I turned around and on the computer I see my sister and niece giggling and wearing eye liner as mustaches.She had called my husband and told him to turn on skype so we had a great laugh.That made me feel really good again.I love those crazy girls!I hope the eye liner came off.
jacksoncrisman@yahoo.com
I completely agree about karma.
The last time I really smiled about the actions of others has been on the bus this morning. There was a pregnant mother and as soon as she entered two men stood up to give her the seat. The smile came out spontaneously on my lips because even a child who must had about 5-6 years stood up and told her “Ma’am, if you want to sit down, please, you are in two!”
The last thing someone did to make me smile unexpectedly was yesterday in the drive through line at McDonald’s. I went to get lunch, because hubby wanted me to be able to watch the game with him instead of cooking. So, I ordered and the person in front of me paid for our meal. It was almost $15!
I’ve paid for the person behind me before, but it was only $4!
Next time I get some extra cash, I’m gonna pay it forward and have my own little random act of kindness
I totally agree with you about how some people mistake kindness for weakness. It’s crazy how some people think.
Thanks for the giveaway!
My son’s b-day was yesterday- he just turned 2….so when he woke up in the morning- i told him- todays your b-day- i had been preparing him for this day and he can sing happy b-day..so its 8am in the morning and he’s eating his b-day cupcake in the high chair- he looks at the picture on the wall of his gamma and pawpaw and says ” hi pawpaw- hi gamma- todays my b-day” It was just darling and made me smile and laugh all at the same time. and of course we had to call and wake them up on taht one.
tcogbill at live dot com
It was yesterday. Hubby was being a real jerk all morning. He went and took a bike ride and when he came back he took me out and bought me the LG steam washer and dryer set. Didn’t know items that clean could make me smile so wide. Yes, he was rewarded
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My husband is always doing really sweet things for me.
The other day I forgot to bring my credit card to the grocery store with me, and I only had cash. When I realized this, I told the cashier I wanted to remove some of the items from my cart. The lady behind me piped up and said, “How short are you?” To which I replied that I was about 5 dollars short. She said not to worry about it, and handed the cashier a $5 bill to cover the shortage.
I thanked her profusely. I couldn’t believe a stranger could be so kind!
Well, I have to give props to my dad. I was having a hard time with a project that I was working on for graduate school. He gave me an awesome pep talk and totally made me feel better. It was just the boost I needed and I ended up doing well on the assignment.
I was walking with a work associate who has a bad leg and fell flat on his face. An elderly lady stopped immediately to see if we needed assistance of any kind. I thanked her and told her that he was fine, and I helped him to his feet. She stayed around and watched until we were on or way just to make sure everything was okay. I thought that was really kind of her.
I’m usually pretty shy at parties, but last night we went to a very crowded noisy party and at the end a friend commented “I kept trying to find you to come save you, but every time I did you were talking to someone else!”
My wife put a really sweet note and a picture of herself and our kids in my lunch a few weeks back because I had been working 14 hour days and was down.That made me smile.If I won I would buy her some of her favorite things,books.
truthhole@gmail.com
I started a new job a few weeks ago, after 19 years of not working, and someone made me muffins my first day.
fourkidsrgreat(at)gmail.com
Just when I didn’t think I could handle any more household chores and taking care of my kids, my neighbor took both of my kids and let me have a couple hours just to read and be by myself.
Earlier today, my husband took our daughter with him to church so I could have an hour or two to myself. It more than made me smile…I am SO incredibly thankful. It’s SO nice to have a little time to myself, and I appreciate him thinking about me
Due to meds I’m on I haven’t felt very good about how I look. For my birthday last month, my one friend set up a hair appointment at a very nice salon for me to get the works. He said he wanted me to feel pretty
I always walk/stroller my son to preschool it is just a little over a mile. Today a grandma who take her granddaughter offered to take us to and from in the winter and rainy days. I was so worried about what to do about that. I feel so much better knowing i can get my son to preschool, she was so nice
Last night, my hubby brought home my favorite thai dish and gave me a nice foot massage. Then this morning, someone at school made brownies and brought them to share to class. I guess people around me have been doing their share to make me smile, I need to pay it forward
This made me good – I won a Halloween costume at a blog site.
Because I’ll be wearing it where I volunteer (kids) she is sending some extra things!
Now isn’t that special?
barbara dot montyj at gmail dot com
I agree: You reap what you sow Galations 6:7
Earlier today I was kissing my husband and my 19 month old son came over and gave us a huge family hug
My husband always used to ask me if I wanted anything from the kitchen if he got up while we were watching TV, but it’s gotten so he just knows whether I’m ready for another beverage or whatever. It’s so touching when someone brings you something you want without your asking for it!
My son has special needs, and on top of that he has inoperable tumors. It is just the two of us, my mother lives with my sister, and when we couldn’t help her move she stopped talking to us last year. She never even called my son on his 21st birthday on Sunday. We have several elderly neighbors that my son helps out all the time. They knew about his birthday and they sent him birthday cards. It made him so happy to know that someone cared about him. He said his three “grandma” neighbors care more about him then his real one does. That makes him feel special.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
My friend knew I wasn’t having a good week so she took me out for Starbucks and to talk.
My husband has started doing all the grocery shopping for me, that always makes me smile
nblexp at gmail dot com
My husband works out of state a lot and he just came home from a month away. He came home on Friday night and on Saturday morning, my friend showed up at the door and said we were going shopping. Girls day! My hubs had actually called her and told her I deserved a day away from the kids since he’d been gone so much! How sweet!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
My husband and I have been going through severe financial problems recently. This past summer was a nightmare for us. I had an accident in the kitchen with a pot of boiling water and recieved 2nd degree burns on nearly 30% of my body. My husband got an infection in his leg and nearly lost both his leg and his life (he was able to keep his leg). Our mini-van broke down and finally was repossessed. Our fridge broke and left us with tons of spoiled food and no way to keep things like milk cold. My parents were very helpful and helped take care of me when I was recovering from my injuries and helped not only pay for the medical bills but also gave us the money for a new fridge and let us borrow my mother’s car till we can figure out what to do about the other. If it wasn’t for them we would never have survived this summer
My husband brought me home a thing of chocolate coffee creamer. This means not only was he thinking of me, he also remembered I was out of something I only discovered I really like about a month ago:)
Oh, wow. Seriously, I don’t think I can come up with just one thing. As tough as times have been lately, I am surrounded by amazing people – the funny cards sent to me just because a friend knows I’m having a hard time, a hug from one of my kiddoes at school because they finally get that hard concept they’ve been struggling to learn.
The biggest thing to make me smile of late, and to reinforce for me that the world stands a chance, is my younger son. He has worked all summer on writing his first book – a mystery/suspense story with just a TAD romance thrown in (at his mom’s request). He’s had his eye on a special bike because he’s having trouble getting the hang of a regular one, and he just knew his book money would put him over the top and get him that bike. Things have changed a bit, and all on his own, he has decided to give every penny he makes from his book to a young schoolmate who is battling a brain tumor, to help her family with travel expenses to the hospital far from here where she will have to go for treatment. And better yet, at first he didn’t want anyone to know. “I’m doing it because it will help, not so everyone will think I’m great.” That makes it more special, but I still think he’s pretty great.
With the girls, I always feel good about myself. Last Friday, we all had a night out for the first time in what seemed like months! I had just come back from the acuatics training, so I was wet and yucky, but I took a quick shower, slipped on a dress, and when I came out, everyone started gushing about how beautiful I looked and what a great time we were having. It had been too long!
The last time was actually just a couple of hours ago when I was telling my husband about how, when I’m trying to be friendly and reach out to a certain woman, I always end up feeling stupid or pushed away. My husband lovingly reminded me that I can’t make her like me and that it’s not worth fretting over. I tend to worry over things too much, so this was a great relief to be reminded of!!
Every time I pet my beautiful red tabby, Joey, all is right with the world!