Tuesday 22 April 2014

Being nice for the sake of being nice

I seldom understand when people ask what they can get out of it when they are asked (or not) to do something. I can't say "never" because each situation is unique.

For example, you see a poor kid in your class whose calculator is broken, e.g. the battery is just flat. So, you can go fill in a Purchase Requisition Form and let the school pay for it - or next time when you go shopping - just buy a battery. R30 won't make you poorer but it makes such a difference in another person's life. Now that girl can do her homework in multiple subjects. 

Sometimes we are talking about more than just R30...I bought poor girls calculators out of my own pocket over the years (I think about 3) - and it was well worth it. I felt so proud when one of these girls got her A at the end of matric. And I just thought "Thank goodness I bought her that calculator!".

Sometimes we don't really need things, but we support anyway. For example, there is this well-mannered boy that always comes round to sell strong black bags. Last night he was here again and without hesitation I took out a R100 note for 3 packs of black bags. When my husband put it away in the cupboard under the sink, he said, "But we still have 6 packs!" (And another one in the garage and another one at the beach house...). I don't actually care that I have too many nice black bags. That boy walks around for many hours selling bags to make pocket money - and that is amazing.

Why can't we simply be nice for the sake of being nice? Not expecting anything in return. I'm not saying that you must give all your money and time. Invest in you and in your family first. But make room to give, even if it is just to listen. Maybe today is the day that somebody needs you to help or be kind.

Please share the moments when you have been kind just to be kind...

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