Hubby got a call last night from a friend who was worried about his girlfriend.
This morning, Hubby got another call from the same friend, who said his girlfriend was out walking in the rain, apparently not wanting to be at home.
Hubby went out and picked Lesl up.
I just want to smother her with kindness.
I gave her some clothes to borrow, and threw her soaked things in the washer and washed them with a bunch of our stuff that needed to be washed anyway.
She said I didn't need to go to the trouble of drying them (I didn't tell her I washed 'em until they were in the dryer). Well, right now, we still have power. Might as well use it while we have it!
I asked her if she'd like something to eat, or something hot to drink. I boiled water for the tea she requested and offered her a cookie first and then a sandwich. Nothing fancy, just peanut butter and jelly or turkey and cheese.
Lesl said she felt like royalty.
She was flabbergasted when I said this is just how we treat our friends.
Cowboy (her boyfriend) came over after she'd been here awhile, chatting with Hubby and occasionally the Fries, about some of the heavier stuff that's been going on in her life.
She mentioned a little while ago that she felt icky, so we offered the use of our shower.
It astonishes me how little kindness she must have been shown, just because of how astonished she is by stuff that doesn't faze us in the least. "Cowboy cares about you, and because of that, so do we," I'd explained as I got one of my thick, fleecy sweatshirts for her to wear while I washed and dried her clothes. We'd have done this for anyone.
So I took her to the upstairs bath, which is decorated in a cheery Mickey Mouse theme (with all the gleaming black tile, it begged for Mickey treatment), got her a thick towel and a washcloth, and left my hairdryer outside the door for her for when she was done. I told her she could take her time; she could even take a bath if she was so inclined.
"I'll pay you back," she said.
I thought she was referring to the cotton leggings I'd lent her, since she'd said she'd fallen in love with them and was keeping them. "$6 at Walmart," I said. "It's no big deal. Don't worry about it."
"No, for everything," she said.
I must have looked shocked, but I recovered quickly enough to say that wasn't necessary, and we weren't looking for her to pay us back. There was no need.
To us, a sandwich, a cookie, a Dr Pepper, a quick wash and dry of clothes, and a simple shower isn't putting us out at all.
It's not out of the norm of stuff we would do for anyone we consider a friend.
But it almost breaks my heart that she's had so little compassion shown her in her life, that she's never experienced people who are nice just to be nice, and not expecting anything in return except a smile and a "thanks."
Are there really that few people in the world who are kind just because they're kind?
There are more than you'd think, but much less than what should be.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like too many people only want to do something nice if it benefits themselves in some way.
Sometimes you just need to provide some care and concern. It's why I volunteer at shelters. I don't get anything back that benefits me, my career or my pocketbook, but I can give something and that is healing.
Someone gave it to me once.
It may not positively impact my pocketbook, but it sure impacts my heart.
DeleteHugs are good for the soul.
Yes, it boggles the mind, but some people have never seen generosity as a general character trait. She's fallen in with good people, I hope she stays in, she needs people like you.
ReplyDeleteIt's happened with me too, just offering a workman bottles of cold water, or fixing a sandwich for the kid down the street waiting for his parents to get home. It's not a big deal, it's being a friend. Pay it forward.