Day 3...Right in front of my nose

  

I woke up feeling energised and already had a plan in my mind about what I wanted to do today for my Act of Kindness, but as I went about my day I realised that if it was too planned then the act of kindness would be too contrived.  The whole idea of doing this was; that Acts of Kindness would be done in real time, they would be true and authentic and they would have integrity. 

So, I scraped my original plan, which I felt was a great idea, and went back to waiting for an opportunity to present itself.

I waited and waited and waited……….

I looked out for the opportunity.  It should have been easy right?  That’s what I thought, but the opportunity never did present itself.

Today of all days it should have been easy.  I was busy, I was in town, meeting clients, having a coffee with a friend and dealing with multiple work related phone calls.

So at half past three this afternoon, sat on a wall eating an ice cream with Dylan, I started to panic.  Time was running out.  I only had a couple of hours to deliver on my act of kindness.

And as I sit here I think back about my day and I realise that perhaps I’ve delivered multiple Acts of Kindness without recognising it at the time.

Today has been all about conversations.  It has been about being there for people when they needed me. 

Missing a call on my mobile and phoning back. Listening to the person on the other end of the line when I was dashing to another meeting.  I stopped walking and stood and listened and made time for that person because I knew it was important to be present in every way.

Then when I met one of my closest friends, who was really quite sad, and the lowest I’d ever seen her, I was there, fully present. I listened to what was happening in her world and provided the right words and the right level of support I felt she needed in that moment.

And finally I sat eating ice cream with my son.   Sat on a wall in the glorious sunshine.  We chatted, we laughed and I listened again about what was important to him.

I was totally in the moment.

And so on day three, my Act of Kindness has been purely about being in the moment.  Not thinking about anything else apart from what is being shared, what needs to be heard and then what needs to be said. Those who I shared these moments with all went away feeling better about their situations and themselves. I hope so anyway?

Today has been a good day for conversations and once again I’m reminded that Acts of Kindness are all around us, we just need to recognize them!