I’m not really sure where I’m going with this prompt but I’m just going to start writing and see where it takes me. I do know that discussing nice things that you’ve done for people takes away from doing it and almost negates it. If you seek recognition for giving of yourself, you’re doing it for all the wrong reasons.
But I suppose that sharing stories, outside of wanting a pat on the back for it, could be different. My mind is trying to go for stories or instances with some humour infused into them.
So this one time, not long after Clint and I started seeing each other, I think I wanted to show him how giving and thoughtful I was and it blew up in my face. This was just before I started reading books on self awareness or self help and my ego was insanely huge. I had make homemade burgers for supper, not the frozen patty kind, and we had bbq’d. I told him how I liked to give away food to people who frequented the homeless shelter. We had two perfectly good burgers left so I loaded them up, wrapped in foil and we set out to find someone who might enjoy them.
This was new to him, he’d never made food, bought food or served food for the homeless. After I left my husband and unfortunately had to share custody of the kids, I had spare time on my hands that I used both in negative and positive ways. I had baked or made food for the homeless and was just trying to be a better person.
I spotted a guy I knew well from working on the acute psych unit and so we approached him in a parking lot. I’d seen him around for years and knew that once he had come to our city for hospitalization, he’d never returned to his home community for some reason. I think probably he had addiction issues and it’s easier to get his fix here in an urban centre than in his home community.
I was sure he’d be hungry and all over these mouth watering burgers we were about to offer. So I rolled down my window and said excuse me, would you like these burgers? He replied NOPE and kept walking.
And we had a good laugh at the expense of me, who was so sure someone would want these burgers. I can’t even remember what happened next, if I approached someone else or just took my two stupid burgers home and threw them in the garbage.
Another funny story that comes to mind, because of the reaction it got was when I was in grade seven or eight and babysitting two kids. One was four-ish and the baby was probably two at this time.
It was the end of a long twelve hour day babysitting and the mom of the kids was about to drive me home. I took the kids and waited in the car, which was parked in the garage. The baby started coughing and gagging, from out of nowhere and looking like he was going to throw up. I didn’t know what to do but there was no bucket or paper towel or anything that could catch it so I instinctively held my hands out in a cup shape so he could vomit into my hands. I was never someone who was grossed out easily, like never. Anyway the mom came and we got him cleaned up and my hands cleaned up and she took me home.
That night or the next day I was telling my best friend about the day babysitting and when I got to that part of the story she freaked out. I didn’t understand what the big deal was but she was beyond shocked and disgusted that I’d let this little boy puke into my hands. I was like well what else was I supposed to do, just let him puke all over the mom’s car? No.
Today, as an adult I might do the same thing but looking back, as a thirteen or fourteen year old kid, maybe it is surprising to react the way I did. But it just felt like the logical thing to do at the time. It’s not a random act of kindness, just a random act I suppose. Although I’m sure the mom appreciated the mess was in my hands and not her car.
bloom.planted.north 
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