(Sorry guys, in honor of V-Day, this one’s a bit of a chick blog.)
My husband had to go out of town for a few days for a funeral, so I was home alone all weekend. On Sunday afternoon, I was trying to figure out what I should do on the “love, chocolate and roses holiday.”
This was the first Valentine’s Day, in my recollection, that I was not expecting anything, and thus not disappointed with anything.
And it was the perfect day to spend time with a few special people in my life. My good friend Mary was celebrating her birthday this week, so I decided to do something I rarely do, I went out to lunch (during the week) with Mary.
Do you have a special friend in your life who is your “true north”? The person who is completely honest with you and loves you unconditionally? Well, for me, that person is Mary. For you it may be a girlfriend, a sister, or a mother.
So, even though we were celebrating HER birthday, when I arrived she had a gift for me.
She handed me this article from the February edition of Good Housekeeping magazine. This is not a magazine I usually read. But, when I got home from our lunch, I took a look at it. “Big Love: how to give more, how to get more, and why the tiniest gestures mean so much,” was the title.
The article begins: “One April morning…I had a sudden realization: I was in danger of wasting my life.” The author goes on to share her experience with her “Happiness Project.” She decided that for one year she would take the time to do the things she’d always promised herself she would do, including sharing her love and doing kind things for others. She would do nice things to make others happy.
And the big surprise to her, was how happy it made HER feel.
“I changed my life without changing my life – no extra time, energy or money required.”
Doing acts of kindness for others is something women do naturally. But, I have found that the rat race gets to me sometimes and I often feel like I am on that treadmill of life. Reading this article reminded me of what joy I get when I do nice things for others.
I recommend you read the article, because we all need a little more joy in our lives. It truly made me happy and loved yesterday, as I called my eldest daughter and wished her a happy Valentines Day. Yes, she got my card with a little cash tucked inside so she could get herself a small gift. My youngest daughter and I had a home cooked dinner together and then we went out driving (she is learning). We hugged many times last night and she opened up and talked to me about what it is like being a 16 year old.
So, take a deep breath, and think about how you can “change YOUR life without changing your life” and make yourself happier by performing small acts of kindness.
It can bring you great joy!
Karen