Just Because

My last blog post, Life We’re in It Together was a story about a friend and neighbor, Helen, who is beyond thoughtful and empathetic, she’s ‘empathoughtfulmaster.’ That word is soon to be an actual concept. Helen just senses the human experience of others and sneakily follows through on her phenomenal ideas.

Jennie Lee, one of my favorite people in forever, had her own sneaky idea. Out of the abundant goodness of her heart, she followed through on an idea to pay a kindness forward, in reaction to Helen doingthis... consistently.

Jennie Lee lives in Casa Grande, works at Central Arizona College in Coolidge where she needs to arrive at an ungodly morning hour, and has never met Helen. Last week, Jennie Lee left home early enough to buy flowers, drive the 45 minutes to Chandler, figure out the gate code in Helen’s neighborhood, anonymously placed flowers on Helen’s front stoop and drove back to Coolidge where she got to work on time. I think she got to work on time. I actually don’t know that. I just needed the alliteration. Did you Jennie Lee? Arrive to work on time even if you were doing 90?

Helen response to Jennie Lee was this, via Facebook:

Today was simply one of those days that wasn’t quite living up to my expectations or hopes. However, I came home to my daughter making dinner and these beautiful flowers with this beautiful sentiment… ❤️
Karen seems to think I have a knack for ding-dong ditching (maybe I do!). Apparently, I’m not the only one she knows who does this! To whomever you are, Admirer, thank you for the love… ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Both of these women make me a better person and citizen of this earth. My heart just lit up and flew giddily around when Helen ding-dong ditched me, and then it did that again when Jennie Lee texted to ask for Helen’s address. Tomorrow is the day I’m doing a similar ding-dong ditch to my husband, The Very Patient Man. I sure hope his heart flies around giddily at his job. His student’s will appreciate that part. Now, I owe him two, because, I humbly admit, I didn’t do it the first time…

Hopefully, you’re inspired to #belikeHelen and #andJennieLeetoo, and surprise a friend this week. Then tell the world, if you feel you can, so more human beings can feel their hearts lift up and flap about giddily. I’m pretty sure ‘giddily’ is a word, spell check isn’t yelling at me, but that only says so much. But, even your anonymous kindness will inspire way past your unknowing victim.