words

Just at the Right Time

Proverbs-25

Circumstances right now are challenging.  Most of life is clipping along quite nicely.  Just a job situation I wish . . . well. . . I wish it wasn’t.  Feeling a little down this morning when I got up, knowing I had to deal with the unpleasantness.  Checked Facebook before I went to work and there it was.

Psst. You’re phenomenal.
 

Just three words.  From a friend I’ve known since I was in Junior High!  (She’s younger than me so I’m not giving away her age!)  But in the face of some challenges I would rather not be facing, it was just what I needed.  This friend and I met when I went to a music camp where her dad was working.  That music camp eventually ended and some of the staff went to work at a summer music camp on a college campus.  I got information about that camp and, while I didn’t go to the camp, I DID end up attending the college where the camp was held.  My friend did to.  We actually got to hang out as college students together for a bit!

She had no way of knowing.  I have talked about the stress I’m dealing with on Facebook but kept much of the “meatier” details to myself.  And I hadn’t said much about the current “slump”, preferring instead to spend my online “social networking” time talking about the good things!  She couldn’t have known that I needed – DESPERATELY needed – to know today that someone believed in me; that there was someone out there who knew things about me that some of my crankier co-workers will never know and that this particular someone thought that all the parts of me together made for a pretty okay person.

The lesson?  When you have the impulse/urge/random idea to speak something positive into someone’s life – even if it’s only three quick words – DO IT!!  Your words may be just what they need at that moment.

Random Thoughts Inspired by an Act of Kindness

Why are we so quick to throw the word “love” around about inanimate objects or people that we will never meet – “I love that movie!”  or “I just love the lead singer of (insert name of favorite band here) – but we are so hesitant to say it to those that would be most touched and built up by it?

Why do we allow one critical statement to have more influence on our self-image than a positive statement?

What would happen if we each went out of our way to do one kind deed for another or say one kind word to another each day?  Imagine if everyone in your circle of friends, family and workplace made this a goal!

See, someone took the time to write me a personal note in which this person expressed their gratitude to me.  We’ve shared some performing arts experiences together and, according to the note, I have been lucky enough to help inspire this person.  There was nothing profound about the experiences.  And I was extremely surprised by the depth of his gratitude.

Just reminds me AGAIN that we never know the power of a “You can do it” or “I believe in you.”