Today's act of kindness was for the benefit of a friend. Our sons are both going on a school trip that requires them to be at school at 4.15am for departure. No point in two families having to get up ridiculously early, so I've offered the friend a sleepover so his parents can have a lie-in.
An aside - In 2010 our son went on a school trip and we took the opportunity to go to Istanbul as a couple - then the unpronounceable volcano in Iceland blew its top and we were delayed by a week. Without the kindness of friends and family who took our son in when he got back from skiing, this would have been a much more stressful experience. We've arranged a visit to Budapest to coincide with the latest school trip - hopefully we'll have better luck this time!
Wednesday 12 March 2014
Friday 7 March 2014
Day 3 - 7th March 2014
Today happens to be my birthday, but the gift goes to somebody else. To be fair, I didn't pay for it though. One week ago, while tweeting on behalf of my employer, I noticed that a primary school in Formby was appealing for a sponsor for its football kit. As it happens, sponsoring youth sports teams is part of my remit, and luckily for them I had the sponsorship of another team signed off a little while ago and the team disbanded. So through the power of social media I was able to offer them our support and by today was ready to order the kit on their behalf. Well, it would have been a waste not to!
Thursday 6 March 2014
Day 2 - 6th March 2014
Today's act of good was premeditated - a careers advice talk at my old school. I love my job - it's varied, interesting and I get to feel that I'm making a difference. So this was a chance to share my passion with others and hopefully inspire them to consider a career in sustainability or corporate social responsibility. I was asked to participate by a former colleague who now works there, and I was happy to agree.
I spent a couple of hours at the school, speaking to any student that approached me and explaining about the various careers available and the paths that can lead to them. I had prepared a single page handout with hints, tips and links for those who wanted to find out more. It was a relatively small amount of work and - just maybe - it might inspire somebody to pursue a career that will bring them huge satisfaction.
I spent a couple of hours at the school, speaking to any student that approached me and explaining about the various careers available and the paths that can lead to them. I had prepared a single page handout with hints, tips and links for those who wanted to find out more. It was a relatively small amount of work and - just maybe - it might inspire somebody to pursue a career that will bring them huge satisfaction.
Wednesday 5 March 2014
Day 1 - 5th March 2014
I begin - somewhat ironically - with a confession. I am not a Christian, but I'm more than happy to participate in the Christian festivals. Especially those where food is concerned. So I celebrate Christmas with turkey and all the trimmings, Easter with chocolate, I spoil my Mum on mothering sunday and I'm partial to a pancake or two on Shrove Tuesday. But then there's Lent. Abstinence doesn't come naturally to me (I'm more of a hedonist by nature) and I find it hard to give anything up without purpose, and without belief in a deity that requires an act of penitence Lent seems ultimately pointless. I manage to exist happily on £1 a day for Live Below the Line week, but that's because it creates a pot of cash I can donate to those less fortunate. And that, combined with the lovely work done by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, Suspended Coffee movement and others, is what led to this idea.
During Lent, I won't deny myself anything - but I'm going to try and give to others instead. I've set myself the challenge of performing a different generous or helpful act every day and recording it here. Some may be planned, others may be spontaneous, some may be for friends or neighbours, others may be for strangers, in some cases I'll give money, other I'll give time, or advice or goods. Whatever. The important thing is that somebody other than me will feel the benefit.
Day 1 began with this half-formed idea and an opportunity to realise it occurred surprisingly quickly. A fellow passenger on the bus unfortunately suffered an epileptic seizure. Fortunately another passenger who has the same condition immediately realised what was happening. We'd already stopped the bus, and she moved quickly into action, placing the woman in the recovery position and looking in her bag in case she carried a card with information about her seizures. She did. The driver was already on the phone to the ambulance service, but I offered to contact the people listed on the emergency card. The first number I tried didn't work, but I managed to get through to the woman's husband and let him know that she'd had a seizure and was beginning to recover. I passed on to the driver information about the drugs she takes for the ambulance service and made arrangements that her husband should be notified if the ambulance took her to hospital, since by now he was on his way to her side.
I don't want to give the impression that I was saving the day - others were helping the woman recover, reassuring her and keeping her safe. I was genuinely touched by the level of concern all the passengers showed to a stranger in trouble. But I hope my one small, practical act helped her and her husband to overcome the challenge of her seizure that day.
During Lent, I won't deny myself anything - but I'm going to try and give to others instead. I've set myself the challenge of performing a different generous or helpful act every day and recording it here. Some may be planned, others may be spontaneous, some may be for friends or neighbours, others may be for strangers, in some cases I'll give money, other I'll give time, or advice or goods. Whatever. The important thing is that somebody other than me will feel the benefit.
Day 1 began with this half-formed idea and an opportunity to realise it occurred surprisingly quickly. A fellow passenger on the bus unfortunately suffered an epileptic seizure. Fortunately another passenger who has the same condition immediately realised what was happening. We'd already stopped the bus, and she moved quickly into action, placing the woman in the recovery position and looking in her bag in case she carried a card with information about her seizures. She did. The driver was already on the phone to the ambulance service, but I offered to contact the people listed on the emergency card. The first number I tried didn't work, but I managed to get through to the woman's husband and let him know that she'd had a seizure and was beginning to recover. I passed on to the driver information about the drugs she takes for the ambulance service and made arrangements that her husband should be notified if the ambulance took her to hospital, since by now he was on his way to her side.
I don't want to give the impression that I was saving the day - others were helping the woman recover, reassuring her and keeping her safe. I was genuinely touched by the level of concern all the passengers showed to a stranger in trouble. But I hope my one small, practical act helped her and her husband to overcome the challenge of her seizure that day.
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