Ascension : News From The Grotto - Thought For The Week
Submitted by The Islander (Shari Parkhill) 05.11.2009 (Article Archived on 19.11.2009)

This quote was posted on Facebook by my niece, Kelly. She was working in the Cardiac Care Unit, looking after an older gentleman, who with his wife had arrived in the city on a cruise ship.

“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”  John Wooden.

This quote was posted on Facebook by my niece, Kelly.  She was working in the Cardiac Care Unit, looking after an older gentleman, who with his wife had arrived in the city on a cruise ship.  Due to a turn in his health, he was admitted to the hospital and they missed their tours of the city, and the remainder of the cruise.

Kelly came up with an idea to show the city to them.  Her aunt, my sister-in-law Kathy, is a photographer with a large collection of photos of the city and surrounding area.  When Kelly called her and explained her idea, Kathy put together a collection of photos for the couple.  I thought it was a wonderful idea, and a sweet gesture by my thoughtful niece to help ease some of the stress for an elderly couple in a hospital far from home and family.

It just goes to show how easy it is to do something nice for someone.  So many opportunities arise all the time for us to do something nice for someone else.  As the quote illustrates, doing something for someone knowing it will never or could never be repaid, is how to have a truly perfect day.  It’s in the little things, the small gestures, the little ways we can make someone else’s day. 

It doesn’t take much.  It could be as little as a door held open, a lift somewhere, sharing a little information about something interesting, a joke that makes someone laugh and lifts their spirits on a bad day.              It could be just a hug, a smile; anything that we can do for someone else.

We all know people who only do things for others if they think they will get repaid somehow.  They think of themselves first, and not of others.  They don’t share their time or their life.  What a sad way to live.  Because in doing something for someone else, even if they can never repay us directly, gets paid back to us somehow.  It is the idea that has been described in the “Pay it Forward” concept.  We do something for someone, they do something for someone else, and so on.  Somewhere along the way, someone will do something nice for us.  So we do indeed get paid back.

If nothing else, we get paid back in the look on the person’s face that we have done something for.  Their gratitude is all we need – what a reward.  This elderly couple will return from Saint John to their home town.  While they will remember their troubles, and lament their lost vacation, they will always remember the kindness of the lovely lady who went above and beyond, and put together an album of pictures of a city they didn’t get to wander around.  They will cherish the pictures, and the memory of Kelly’s thoughtfulness.  Kathy’s generosity in giving this couple photographs will be remembered as well.  And I know that Kelly and Kathy will be repaid somewhere down the line.

So, for wonderful people like Kelly and Kathy, and all those who take a bit of time out of their busy lives to do something nice for others, with no expectation of anything in return; thank you.  You are an inspiration to others, and people I am honoured to call my family.

May we all find it in our hearts to take the time to show kindness to others, so that we may also have those “perfect days”.  And may God bless each and every one of us on our journeys.