There is so much kindess in the world. It’s hard to see sometimes especially in the political climate we have going on in the U.S. right now. But there is kindness. For this particular question, I could pick any of the things Josh has done for me over the years. I could talk about any of the things his mom had done for me in the time that I knew her. Some of those things are deep…and big.
However, let me think in simpler, random acts of kindness. Earlier this year, I got a nasty stomach bug. I believe I wrote about it here. I was convinced it was because I ate a cucumber that was partially moldy on one end. I don’t think that was really it. Regardless, the worst day of the sickness, I texted my supervisor and told her why I couldn’t come in that day. She responded by asking if there was anything she could bring me. Everybody at work knew where I lived because it was less than half a mile from our office building. I asked her for ginger ale and Pepto Bismal, neither of which I had at home but needed. I couldn’t fathom the thought of getting dressed and being vertical long enough to go to the store. So she went to the drug store up the road and brought those two things to my house and left them on the porch. She didn’t ring the bell, but texted to say she had delivered them. She wouldn’t let me reimburse her. Coming from the job I had before that one and the “mentor” I had, I was truly flabbergasted by her kindness.
My new supervisor is similar to her. One time early on, I had to return to work becaused I was going to work remote the next day but forgot to bring my laptop home. She said she would have been happy to bring it to my house. Funnily enough, my house is directly behind hers on the street that runs parallel behind her street. One thing she did that was kind and unexpected and kind of funny was just the other week. It proved that I really do have it pretty good with the supervisors I’ve had lately. We had gotten an email from our building manager saying they were converting the three closest parking spaces in our lot to visitor spaces. I jokingly complained about it becasue everyone on our hallway knows I covet those close spaces. In fact, one of the I.T. guys and I have a beef going on because he has a habit of taking my spot when I leave to go to lunch. Sometimes my team looks out the window to make sure I got a good spot. It’s just a running joke we have. So the day of the email, after I pretended to be horrified and completely distraught by the loss of those spaces, she went down to the lobby and got me my favorite snack from this fresh vending machine we have. It’s a mini-charcuterie box that has olives, cucumber slices, pita triangles, hummus, and fresh mozzarella pearls. It’s a fancy vending machine and that charcuterie box is my absolute favorite. So she bought me one and put it on my desk to make me feel better about the loss of my up-front parking, which, as it turns out was for spaces in the aisle I don’t ever park in. So the war with the I.T. guy for those close up spots is still on.
It’s the little things like that that have really made my previous job and this job worth having. Honestly, even without those kind gestures, my supervisors have been outstanding anyway. But those are stories for a different prompt.
In the meantime, look for opportunities to be kind. Little things, big things, whatever you can do. Our world needs it now more than ever.
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