Good Morning! My fb memories have been bringing me smiles lately. A few years ago when the future seemed dark and grim (and I am talking before the pandemic — ha, who knew) I reached out to my fb community and asked them to share a nice story, some goodness they had created or experienced. I just needed some beauty in my soul. The response was overwhelming. People wrote little quips about the good in their lives for days. Posts filled with comments containing only positivity and warmth. Rereading them made my heart sing. People wrote about the innocence of a tiny red leaf frozen in a puddle, happy medical news, surprisingly lovely art created by their students, and ridiculous stories about their kids and pets. Reading about the lovely of others…makes for an amazing start to the day.
There is a pay it forward experience at Starbucks drive-thrus. People pay for the car behind them in line…then that car treats the car behind them, and so on. Social media brags pop up from people in the paying it forward line. “We got to 50 cars! Fun fun fun.” I just read an article about how this isn’t always the greatest situation for the workers (it complicates the orders and some people get rude when they have to shell out more then they ordered). It also creates hurt when someone can’t afford to pay a $76 coffee bill for the carload of teenagers getting their sugar fix behind them. Interesting. I never considered these issues. Sometimes our fun creates a hardship for others, sigh, learning is good. Maybe paying it forward by overtipping minimum wage workers is better than “treating” people who can afford $6 coffees to begin with.
Recognizing those who work hard…that is a concept I adore. As a middle schooler I used to work local parties. Helping the lady of the house set up, serve, then clean after guests left. It was usually 5 or 6 hours of non-stop work. These were the days when one made 2-5 dollars an hour babysitting. After one party I was paid $60…three twenties…it might as well have been a million. The patron handed me the cash and said something like, Do not argue with me, you worked so hard and you deserve every penny. Always accept what you deserve Katharine. The fact that she had Jackie O beauty and a Spanish accent did not hurt her delivery. I remember her grace to this day.
My art teacher guy just re-posted the image below done by a student many moons ago. He wondered where the beautiful road below had taken him. Greg is the kind of art teacher that does not only focus on natural talents…he works hard at getting the academic oriented kids and jocks to enjoy the process of creating art. Sometimes they respond, sometimes they resist…but when they choose to accept the guidance presented to them…they create art from the soul, like the print below. Teachers spend their lives sharing their gifts and paying it forward, they are good people.
Ahhhhhhh what a lovely morning of memories. Enjoy your day.
Swooning 