Pat Your Own Back Once in Awhile

by Terry Baraldi
(Lansdowne, PA)

In the section on road rage Rik speaks of what I call random acts of kindness. Like helping a stranger load their shopping bags into their car, or helping a young mother in the parking lot wrangle a couple of kids into their car seats. Doing something that costs you nothing but a moment or two of time, but makes you feel magnanimous and good about yourself. Occasionally patting your own back is good for you!

The other day, my daughter was recovering from a sudden and severe illness, and I was feeling stressed, anxious and overwhelmed by all the babysitting and running to-and-fro that I had been doing. I found myself at the food store behind a petite elderly woman (even older than myself!) whose cart was piled so high I didn't see how she could manage it. So I walked her to her car to help her. I found out that she was shopping for her son, who has oral cancer and is almost completely debilitated. She is his sole caretaker. After raising 6 kids, she is back in the traces for her forseeable future.

Needless to say, I walked away grateful for my own troubles, and very glad that I took the few minutes to lend a hand. This didn't make me a saint, but it did make me a player. I was still tired, but at a much more manageable level. And I got a lot of mileage from the good vibe that I created for myself.