Lack of sleep and a lingering cold be damned, as I am back on track with my quest to be kind to myself and to others. I definitely do not feel my best at the moment, but I was determined to do my best today. I would like to think that I did in a number of ways, two of which I will share here.
The one thing I did for myself was to eat lunch. Yes, I understand that eating is a very normal part of the average day, but things have been so busy at work that eating lunch has become the exception, not the rule, for me. In addition to leaving me physically hungry and tired when I skip lunch to do work, it also leaves me emotionally hungry, as I have missed the chats and laughs I share with my beloved co-worker, Frank. We are an unlikely pair, as he is an older gentleman who is the Plant Manager, and I am the younger, quirky Program Manager who has appointed myself as the Assistant Plant Manager, much to Frank’s chagrin and amusement. We are the office odd couple indeed, and occaisonally, our dear co-worker, Keith, or some other unsuspecting soul gets sucked into our lunchtime antics.
We usually meet up around noon in the break room to catch up on the day’s events, which always are interesting, if not entertaining. Frank’s lunches always put mine to shame, as he usually brings delicious homemade leftovers from dinner the night before, while I usually bring canned soup, Greek yogurt, or a protein bar. Sometimes, we venture out to pick up lunch from the corner store, which is a huge treat for us. There’s no telling what topics we will discuss over lunch, and there’s aleays plenty of laughs peppered with Frank’s trademark phrase of “Oh Lawd”. It is one of my favorite thirty minute blocks of the day, and I never realized how much I missed it until I recently started skipping lunch on a regular basis. Today, despite a lot of work to be completed, I made a point of eating lunch with Frank, and I was so glad I did, as I always am. Instantly, my stress level plummeted, and I enjoyed another enjoyable chat and laughs with him. I left with a full tummy and a happy heart, and it helped me to power through the rest of my day.
I finally was able to help someone again in a fun, anonymous way, and I hope it made the recipient smile as much I did when I performed this random act of kindness. When I was at the grocery store, I noticed a woman ringing the bell for the Salvation Army Christmas Kettle, and I hatched my plan. I decided to make a donation and to buy her a hot chocolate to thank her for volunteering for this duty and to warm her up on a chilly evening. Thankfully, there is a Starbucks inside of our grocery store, so, I made my purchase and then made my way outside to where she was. There was only one problem-the kettle stand was there, but she and the kettle were gone. I was so disappointed, but not one to give up easily, I decided to ask someone at the customer service desk if they knew where she had gone. The woman at the desk explained that she was on a break and had left the kettle there for safe keeping, and she would be back in about ten minutes. So, I put my donation in the kettle and asked the woman to give the volunteer the hot chocolate and to tell her ‘thank you’ for volunteering to help others in need this holiday season. I left before she returned, but I hope the kindness remained.
Even though I may not feel well, I feel all the better for doing just one thing to be kind to myself and to another person. I am back on track and am committed to keeping the momentum going, one day at a time and one act of kindness at a time.
Just one thing each day . . .
Categories: Just One Thing Each Day
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