90. Even the Lowly Lizard

Do you ever have days, I'm sure most of you do, where you have this list planned in the back part of your brain of great things to accomplish and yet...the sun feels so fabulous on your face.  You stand in the middle of the yard, close your eyes, take a deep relaxing breath, let go and just stand there soaking up the delicious warmth.  All of the resolve to accomplish meteoric things, in this one moment seem to disappear from memory.  It dissolves into nothingness.  Your body becomes a sponge that wants to take in the entire Universe and help make it wondrous.  If only the whole world could experience that momentary sense of peace.  Even the lowly lizard knows the value of basking in the sun's warmth.  Why is it so hard for us mere mortals?  Why do we have to put notes to ourselves on the bathroom mirror to remind us to relax, calm down, do random acts of kindness.

When I had a nail salon in Arroyo Grande, CA several years ago, I used to go to the little coffee kiosk across the driveway and treat myself to a decadent hot drink.  I would often leave an extra dollar and tell the hippie-like little pixie that worked there to buy the next person's coffee.  It was a little secret we shared.  One morning after my covert 007 generosity had been planned a 25ish lady came in and my cohort exclaimed, "This is your lucky day, this lady wants to buy your coffee!"  The lady turned on me and in a cross voice said, "Why?"  Isn't that just a little bit sad?  She had to know why, she couldn't just say "Yippee!"  How much ulterior motive could I have for buying her coffee? Is it some underground movement to conquer the world, some secret squirrel cult that lulls the angry beast into submission with cups of hot caffeine?  But we can't stop trying, trying to make the world see how easy it can be to spread a little secret pleasure, pleasure for the giver and the receiver.  At least most receivers.  I wonder if somewhere that lady occasionally still questions my motive?

Do your self a favor and don't just assume that person on the street corner with the cardboard sign will use that dollar for drugs.  What if, just what if, they really are starving, they really don't have anyone on  their side.  What if that  dollar or small change does  stand  between them and starvation?  We don't give to each and everyone, but sometimes our sweet Tracy taps on our shoulder and we drive around the block and give them a couple of bucks.  What does it hurt?  I've never been so broke that I couldn't afford a dollar.  Tracy never had much but she never failed to work at the food bank and each holiday packed baskets for the needy.  She lived on $600. a month and SHE worked the food bank.  Just tell me who the winner was there.

The world is a better place because of those little acts of kindness.  Join in the heart warming pleasure of making a tiny difference in someone's life.  If not the person on a corner with  a cardboard sign then a few cans of food for your local church or food bank each trip you make to the grocery store or maybe the cup of coffee for the next customer in line.  Just around the next corner could be any one of us.  At the very least go stand in the sun and breath deep, who knows what crazy idea you may come up with.