Everybody Wants to Do a Kindness

People are nice to my mom every day. Not just kind of nice...REALLY nice. She is the sweetest lady I think I've ever met, and people bend over backwards to take care of her. She's never gotten a ticket from a police officer (thought she's been pulled over at least seven times), store clerks will go out of their way to make sure she gets what she needs, and when she drives through the "Drive-thru" at her favorite fast-food restaurant, the employee on the microphone (after hearing my mom's voice through the speaker) says, "OH! There's my lady!"

I've asked my mom several times how she does this, and she seems confused at my question. "Oh, April, everybody wants to do a kindness!" That is really how she sees the world. She sees that the people all around us are all inherently good, and they want the chance to show that. I think others feel her love and can sense that she is trying to bring the good out of them, so they deliver...every time.

When I went to BYU for EFY a few weeks ago, I stopped in the Hinckley Alumni Building, and I saw this on the wall:



It says, "The world must be a better place for your presence. And the good that is in you must be spread to others." That is a thought that keeps me going, even when I want to curl up and just sleep for the rest of my life! Really, though, we all want to do kindnesses. We all want to be good. We all want the world to be better because we are in it. That got me thinking about all the kindnesses done to me and my family. Here are a few from the past several weeks:



The ladies at the blood bank didn't even care that Eric and I brought four little children with us while we were giving our blood. They gave each child a little band, even letting them pick what color they wanted, let them eat some cookies, and treated them like royalty. You can bet our children will be regular blood donors when they grow up--all because of a kindness.



This is Anne--one of the counselors at EFY. She simply shines, and after one of my very worst classes, she gave me a hug and said, "Sister Perry, you did a great job. I learned something new, and I know that the youth who were here in your class were here for a reason." I told her I knew the class had been a flop (the other seven were okay, but that one really was a toughy), but I appreciated her kindness. It meant the world to me.


Then there's the nice family who let Spencer play with their beach toys. Spencer had been eating all the sand and seaweed up to this point since we'd forgotten our toys, and this cute family we had never even met before got out their toys just for him and treated him like their own son.

And here are my parents (there's my mom...the one everyone wants to do a kindness for). I can't get over all the kindnesses they do for me and everyone else. They listen to me on the phone when I'm having a rough day, they help with my children when I am sick or need to have a little break, they pray for me always, and they inspire me to want to be better. Parents are the best.

This is my niece, McKenna. She is such a sweetie. Here she is playing with Spencer. See how he's so happy? I love when people at the grocery store, in the line to pick up the school children, or out walking in the mornings when I go by with the jogging stroller smile and coo at Spencer. THANK YOU for making my baby smile. Thanks for caring enough about him to acknowledge he needs interaction and happy faces to look at. I always feel so appreciative when people pay attention to my children.

And here are the missionaries serving in our ward: Elder Brady and Elder Fuller. They were at the Dance Festival, serving as ushers. I am so grateful for the good work they do...constantly serving, teaching, encouraging us, and living great lives. Being a missionary is a HUGE act of kindness!

At our Elementary School PTA dance, my children's teachers stayed late and served punch and cookies to all of us. I know they didn't get paid extra to be there. They just wanted to do a kindness.

I am going to try to do more kindnesses in my family, my community, and the world. Even the little things can add up to great results. Last week our family experienced a real miracle--something very simple, yet sacred. I was talking to Eric about it and expressing my love for the Lord, and how grateful I am that He would do something for us that I hadn't even asked Him to do. My husband, quoting my mom, said, "Everybody wants to do a kindness." I know that is true...not just of our fellow men, but of our Savior. He is looking for ways to bless us every day, and as I remember that, I see it manifest plainly everywhere I look.

If you'd like to share kindnesses in your life, feel free to post them in the Comments of this entry...even if you don't know me and you just stumbled upon this blog. Have a great day!