Kindness is Contagious

During my trip to Toronto this summer, there was a man at the Tim Horton drive thru in Don Mills begging for money at nine in the morning. He stood a decent distance from the cars and out of earshot of the drive thru speaker, but close enough so drivers could hear him mumble quietly, almost whispering, “Need money for food”. He was a mess. His teeth were rotten. His eyes looked in different directions. But he was smiling. No one was giving; no one was making eye contact. I was about to do the same.

In the few seconds it took to move up in the line I had time to think 3 things: I was about to spend $1.50 for coffee, "there but for the grace of God go I” and “whatever you do to the least of these brothers, you do to me.” I gave him a tooney. He quietly said thank you and smiled. It was the smile of someone who has nothing. Whether he uses it for food or booze doesn’t really matter. That is his journey. My purpose in that moment was to just give.

As I progressed in the drive thru lane, I looked in my rear view mirror. Everyone in the cars behind me was giving. Kindness is contagious.

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If not for your goodness
If not for your grace I don't know where I would be today
If not for your kindness I never could say I'm still standing
If not for your mercy if not for your love I most likely would have given up
If not for your favor I never could say I'm still standing but by the grace of God

These were the words I heard the Lakewood Choir sing, and when I sent these words out in my “if I had a blog" email I realized they applied to the friends who were receiving them. If not for your kindness I don’t know where I would be today….I most likely would have given up. Life is an amazing journey, rough and rocky at times, at other times filled with joy and blessing. My greatest joy is from the people along the way; family and friends who love and encourage me continually. You have given of yourself in many ways and even the smallest gesture means so much. Thank you.

Thank you also, to Joe. He was the one who found my cell phone at the Tim Horton near home, the day after I came back from Toronto. He said it was in the middle of an intersection in the parking lot, lying on the ground flipped open. He phoned the entry marked “home” and left me a message. It turns out he lives just a few streets from the salon where my daughter works, which is “at the stoplight” at a small village 45 minutes away. He returned it to her on Tuesday. The last I saw the phone, I had put it on the dashboard of my van. Apparently, I didn't notice it flying out the window. I'm so grateful that Joe did.

hoping kindness is contagious in your life
your friend

alexsandra