Kindness is Contagious

Late last week Susan, Barb and I were at the cancer center for my injection. It was a packed house. We had never seen it so full.

We took the last couple seats besides one odd seat here and one odd seat there. Just then an older couple walked in. Their walking was both a little challenged. She was assisted by a cane. They scoured the full room and decided to stand and prop themselves up against a wall.

I squished into the love seat that Barb and Susan were already sitting on and waved to the couple to join us in the two-open chairs this move made.

The wife noticed my waving and brought her husband's attention to it. But he shook the offer off.

I was a little flustered. I wasn't happy seeing them have to stand. I thought I'd take a different approach. I went to the ladies at the registration desk, who know me well. I wanted to let them know that they had people standing out here and maybe it might help to toss me through my five-minute treatment and just get me out of here.

It turns out that they had an "emergency" in the chemo room and someone had a bad allergic reaction to their chemo. I'm sure my face said it all. This put a new perspective on everything.

On my way back to join Barb and Susan on the love seat (it was cozy) I pulled the two stray seats together, away from the wall, and placed them nicely around a coffee table. Again I tried to wave over the couple that was left standing.

I saw the wife bring attention to the seats again to her husband. He shook them off. He wanted nothing to do with it.

Well I did all I could. I tried. It was a little strange.

Most of my life I probably would have just ignored them, I'm ashamed to say. Obviously I have some company because everyone else in the waiting area was working very hard not to notice any of this, or anyone else for that matter.

Eventually the wife did ditch her stubborn husband and came over to sit down on one of the chairs I made available. She quietly picked up a magazine and kept to herself.

I guess acts of kindness are important whether they're acted upon or not. In the big picture one act of kindness eventually leads to more, by others, by yourself. It becomes contagious, in time.

Yesterday a neighbor stopped by our backdoor and asked if he could rake our leaves for $15. I was struggling to think of a way to get that done. He worked his butt off, did a great job. Barb gave him $25.