Wholesome Snacks

We could fill a daily blog with acts of kindness.

You might want to try this one. Fill a tote-bag with a variety of wholesome snacks. A friend made up a dozen snacks for us. (She had observed that I wasn't always eating right.) It is easy to forget to eat regular meals ~ which can lead to scrambling for the wrong pick-me-ups.

By having tempting, ready-made snacks available, a busy day does not have to mean low energy and unnecessary tiredness by mid afternoon.

The friend who created this gift is my niece, Lisa, mother of two who cooks everyday not only for her family but for the YWCA daycare and runs her own business, Vavoom Photography. Thank you, Lisa, for your act of kindness.

Lisa's pretty tote bag contained: baggies of walnuts, pistachios, almonds, salt-free pretzels and homemade granola ~ all with colourful twist-ties. Make up your own snacks. Make them ahead of time and keep them wholesome. This practice can be motivation for staying fit. Create a tote for a friend! It can make a difference.

The lady at the Tim Horton's take-out window is telling me that she cannot take my money. Puzzled, I hesitantly accept the change that she is offering me. I also get change?

There are days that ~ for whatever reason ~ it requires extra discipline to show up for work. Today was one of those days. With the Christmas season fast upon us, comes the various festive events, the extra baking and the gift-giving. It is easy to become overwhelmed. It takes a strong person to decline invitations and keep things simple ~ and to get one's sleep! In all the years of retailing, I have offered these few simple words to tired shoppers, "I think we try to do too much." Without exception, the response is always the same -- a huge sigh and hopefully a recognition of how we can step back and look at the big picture.

Someone ahead of me in the long line-up this morning at Tim Horton's had paid in advance for my order. This single spontaneous act of kindness renewed my appreciation for yet another precious new day. Bless you, dear friend!

~ Niceties

Linda just brought us a piece of her homemade rhubarb pie. Linda is a special lady coping daily with more than most of us and still takes time to do something "nice."

Nice is a word that I don't often use unless in the noun form, "nicety." "There is still time for the niceties in life." The small things that make a difference. The important things. The things that matter.

A simple "Thank you" note takes a few minutes. A brief moment in front of the post office to exchange greetings. A few extra minutes to listen. A reassuring touch or a handshake. An unexpected "Thinking of you" card. A spontaneous invitation to a friend to ride-along. Or a piece of homemade rhubarb pie. Thank you, Linda.