Why didn't I help?

I went Christmas shopping with my son yesterday & we stopped off for a bit of lunch at a fast food place. As we sat there together eating our food I noticed a man a couple of tables over.He was balding, with untidy grey hair and I noticed his hands were dirty. As I looked more closely ( trying not to be caught staring) I realised he must be a homeless man. He was nursing a coffee and had 3 bags stuffed with all sorts of things.

Now, yesterday it was freezing - literally freezing. As I sat there eating my fries and orange juice, my quarter pounder with cheese, I wanted to help him somehow. The only trouble was I didn't know how to help. I considered going over and asking him if he was hungry and if I could get him something to eat. I thought about asking one of the staff there if they knew him and if so was he homeless and what did he like to eat.

The thing is though, I was worried about offending him. What if he wasn't homeless and I went along assuming he was just because he had 3 bags and his hands were dirty? What if he was homeless, but a bit mad? What if he got angry?

While I was considering all these options he gathered his things together and stood up to leave the restaurant. Again I thought I could stop him as he passed me. But I didn't. I watched him through the glass as he donned his hat and gloves and set off into the cold.

I know he was homeless and I know he hadn't eaten. I could have bought him something hot to eat. I could have talked to him. But I didn't. I feel very disappointed in myself that I didn't have the guts to talk to him. As I sit here in my warm house, so blessed in every way, I know he is somewhere out in the cold night. I should have done something for him.

Tis the season to be jolly ...

Earlier on today I was feeling a bit sorry for myself. Someone had made me feel so angry and generally fed up. But I looked around me and thought that really that person was only one person among so many in my life. The majority of people in my life are so gorgeous, so caring and wonderful. So I decided that rather than fill this blog post with my anger and bile I would fill it with the happiness those people give me.

I have friends at work who make me laugh every day - and in a good way, not just because they're weird!! Our work community is filled with people who work damned hard, but with a smile on their faces. The girls in the office are run off their feet, but always find time to help one. The corridors tend to ring with laughter rather than tears, but if you do have a down day people are quick to notice and ready with a hug or a cup of tea.

I looked at my pigeon hole today and found that not only mine but everyone elses had gift bags from our boss. How kind is that? We had a bring a dish lunch which was warm and fun and filled with Christmas spirit.

After lunch we had a final assembly and at the end our staff choir sang "Winter Wonderland". As we walked up to get onto the stage the children went wild!! It was like being on the X Factor!! As I looked down on those beaming faces I just counted my lucky stars that I work in such a great place. It is a real privilege to be a part of it.

Tonight I am out with my football chums. We are going for our Christmas Awards curry night and I can't wait. I work with most of the girls and you just couldn't meet a better bunch. They are down to earth, honest, kind and we have a real laugh together. I count myself so fortunate to have such very lovely people in my life and it makes me feel sorry for those people who spend their lives in negativity and glumness. I know we all have down times, but there are some people who never seem to have a glass half full - theirs is always half empty ...

Anyway - I hope you are not feeling too queasy with all this positivity and schmaltz, but I have had such a good day and I wanted to write about it. Some days you do have to take the bull by the horns and just refuse to be affected by misery. Today was one of those days and I really felt touched by joy.

Today you made me happy.

I stumbled across a page from Louba's blog yesterday that she wrote last year. What I love about her post was the joy found in the little things in life. It made me think.

The smallest things, the tiniest actions can change the direction of someone's day. She talks about her colleague bringing coffee like magic to her desk and I thought about what I could do to bring magic to someone else's day.

Its not really what you do that matters ... its the desire to do it and the fact that you took time to do something ... something thoughtful, something kind.

I have come to realise more and more recently how important it is to give people time - to look them in the eye when they speak, to listen, to smile, to let them know they are valued. If part of that means making a cup of tea or picking a flower from your garden - maybe giving someone a hug or noticing that they look tired today - well ... do it.

Being kind costs nothing. In our world of tension, stress, material desires ... often what makes your day is not the big things, but the little ones that come from the heart rather than the wallet.

Knowing that my afternoon might be hard my colleague left me a chocolate on her desk with a note wishing me luck & leaving me a kiss. How nice was that? It made my afternoon! When I got home from a difficult day my son greeted me at the door with a mug of tea. A stranger tweeted a kind word in reply to my secret worry.

I might sound a bit sanctimonious here. I don't mean to be. I just think that kindness, the consideration of other people is so important. I am going to try and do something for someone else each day. Maybe something little, but I hope I can make a difference.