INFUSE THAT GOODNESS!

A friend once told me that if you do something for at least 21 days in a row, it becomes a habit (Thanks Ruffy!)  Well, as we are on Day 275 of 365, I think I can safely say I have a “goodness habit!’  Infusing goodness into my life is definitely happening on a daily basis.  Sometimes I make a conscious effort to fill my days with acts of goodness, where I look for different opportunities to go above and beyond what I would have normally done in my “auto pilot” life;  and sometimes, these acts of goodness happen unconsciously.  These unconscious small bits of goodness that I do in my daily life have suddenly become “a part of me.”

I reflected on this idea of “infused goodness” in my life, when I became conscious of three separate unconscious acts of goodness that happened today.

1. I was at Whole Foods (yea yea, definitely my favorite place!) and as I was leaving, they had someone outside trying to raise money for a homeless shelter.  Whole Foods always has some kind of organization trying to raise funds outside their store, so seeing this person didn’t phase me.  Depending on the organization, what’s in my wallet or what time restriction I may be under, I sometimes stop and listen to their “schpeal.”  However, when I heard the man who was trying to raise money for his homeless shelter say, “One penny could change someone’s life,” I stopped and went over to him.  Could this be true?  Could one penny, one cent change someone’s life?  I just accidentally dropped 3 pennies on the ground yesterday, and since “they aren’t worth much,” I decided not to even bend down and pick them up!  Once I started talking to this man, I understood his point completely.  If every person he approached, donated a penny while he stood out there for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, he would have a considerable amount of money to help him run his homeless shelter.  I gave him the spare change from my purse.  The mantra “even if you can’t give a lot, give what you can,” has now become a part of me.

2. Next stop was Target. As I was deciding on which toothpaste to buy, a handicapped woman in a motorized scooter needed some help.  She was trying to get through the aisle, but someone had abandoned their cart mid aisle, and she was unable to get by.  I helped maneuver some things around for her so she could pass.  I also helped her reach a few items she was unable to.  The mantra “always do your best to help those who are less fortunate than you,” has now become a part of me.

3.  As I was leaving lunch with my sister, I had 2 people approach me and let me know that they were having car trouble, and wanted to know if they could borrow my cell phone to call for help.  Of course I know about different scams and things, so although I wanted to help, I was cautious.  I told them that I would dial the number and I could put it on speaker (so I didn’t have to relinquish the phone.)  They were very grateful, and when I left them, help was on the way.  The mantra “help others when you can, but have your wits about you,” has now become a part of me.

So, now that you’ve heard about my day, what kind of goodness has been infused in you today?