Lets make a list of good things.

Parent Cafe
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<p>Its good to mourn, but sometimes you cant and you need a bit of kindness to get you through the day.
I challenge posters to add to this list of times when someone took the extra step to do something that made a difference.
[26</a> Moments That Restored Our Faith In Humanity This Year](<a href=“http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/moments-that-restored-our-faith-in-humanity-this-y]26”>26 Moments That Restored Our Faith In Humanity This Year)</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.taylormorris.org/home/[/url]”>http://www.taylormorris.org/home/&lt;/a&gt;
You never know what will inspire someone else to persevere.</p>

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<p>Whoops wrong thread. Sorry, I removed the post.</p>

<p>Love your pictures EK</p>

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<p>Thanks, EK. It helps – a little.</p>

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<p>I’ve got one–it’s small but it was so thoughtful. My mom and sister drove in from Pennsylvania to spend the afternoon having lunch with my D and I and Christmas shopping in the charming town D lives in. They parked in the street, and we took my car. When we got back to my house, my mom looked at her car and said, “oh no–it looks like I got a ticket!” I had forgotten it was alternate side of the street parking from 12-3 that afternoon. </p>

<p>So i went over to her car, and what i found was not a ticket, but a sign saying “car is disabled–couldnt get it started.” Well, the car is fine, but my neighbor, who’d waved at us as went off to lunch, realized later that the car was on the wrong side,so she put the sign out to hopefully help us avoid a ticket. And it worked! I thought that was so thoughtful of her.</p>

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<p>Beautiful . . . and much needed. Thanks for sharing, ek.</p>

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<p>Thank you EK, it was heartwarming. Wasn’t going to go to a friend’s anual Christmas gathering but we decided we needed to be among long time friends. Some were first responders, another was a former Newtown official. We cried, hugged, shared stories and planned for events to help the families who lost loved ones. This was a group of people of all ages and across the political spectrum. It was good to be together and plan for the future, it was what friends and community is all about.</p>

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<p>There were several (previously scheduled) events in my community yesterday in which people donated time, money and talent to help others less fortunate. S and I volunteered at one of the event and saw a great outpouring of love and support for our fellow human beings.</p>

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<p>This is long, but worth the read, I think.</p>

<p>Eleven years ago, I was a newly divorced mom, very sick with Crohn’s Disease (undiagnosed at the time of the story). My kids were 5 and 7 and I was working full time. For six months, I had subsisted on popsicles, jello and Gatorade because anything else gave me excruciating pain. I had lost 65 pounds in that time period. I was weak, exhausted, in pain most of the time and trying to make a living and raise my children. I wasn’t even sure I was going to live because they hadn’t figured out what was wrong with me. I was also adjusting to living on one income instead of two so things were very tight financially.</p>

<p>I was at the grocery store with both kids, after picking them up from latch key, to pick up a few things for dinner that night. My son saw the Hallmark Kissy Bears display which said “Free with the purchase of three cards.” My son said, “Can we get these? They are free!” At age 5, he couldn’t read all the words, but he knew he saw “FREE”. I sadly explained that we had to buy three cards to get one free and we didn’t need three cards, nor did we have the money for three cards. And then we’d only get one of the bears, not both. There was a woman near us who heard the conversation. My son was sad, but he accepted what I said.</p>

<p>We checked out, went to the car and both kids got in the car while I loaded groceries into the back of the car. The woman who had overheard the earlier conversation came up to me and thrust a bag into my hand and said “Merry Christmas”. She had gotten the Kissy Bears and gave them to us. I instantly teared up and said Thank You. I got in the car, crying, and my daughter said “what’s wrong?” and I said “Nothing is wrong. We have a Christmas Angel” and I showed the kids the bears, telling them the woman gave them to us. My daughter said “Why are you crying momma? That was a nice thing to do.” And I said “These are tears of joy, sweetie.” </p>

<p>This woman couldn’t know what I’d been through that year… the divorce, buying a house, my illness. She just knew she saw a tired mom who couldn’t afford those bears for her kids. She had no idea that her random act of kindness was so much more than just giving someone a couple bears she got for free. </p>

<p>Each year, as we put the Kissy Bears on the fireplace hearth, I tear up again, thinking about how that woman made such a difference in THREE lives. We remember the story each year and I believe her small action helped to make my children the thoughtful young adults they are today. I wish I could thank her again and again, but the only way I can do this is by doing similar random acts of kindness.</p>

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<p>Recently, I was in NYC and attempting to use the subway system for transportation. I was becoming frustrated and anxious as my prepaid metro card wouldn’t swipe for payment. A young man, approximately 25 years old, used his card to get me thru the gate then proceeded to give me detailed directions to my destination. He wouldn’t accept reimbursement for his paying for my subway ride. His kindness and helpfulness was a highlight of my trip.</p>

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<p>Nice!</p>

<p>For me, it was a friend who didn’t judge me when I was down and *****ing.</p>

<p>BTW, how are Sandy victims doing this holidays season?</p>

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<p>There are many of us who needed this. Thank you, EK.</p>

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<p>2016, that brought tears to my eyes. You never know what little thing you do can make a difference in someone’s life.</p>

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<p>Years ago, in college, a friend and I were on a road trip and my car was low on gas. I wondered how that could be since I had just bought gas the day before. While filling up, we noticed a strong smell of gas coming from my car. I lifted the hood and while I was looking, someone approached me and asked if I needed help. He was a man probably in his twenties. He looked under the hood and immediately found the problem, a small hose had cracked. He temporarily fixed it and told me I should get to a mechanic for a permanent part. He quickly hopped into his car and drove off before I could ask him for his name. </p>

<p>These were the days before cell phones and the car could’ve easily broken down on us in a remote place. In ten minutes, I had been touched by random kindness and I have never forgotten it.</p>

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<p>My mother was walking to church one Sunday morning in the summer, when she was overcome by the heat. A man in his 20s was jogging but saw her distress and stopped to help. He called his wife, who drove their car over and they drove her to medical help. They never left their names, and I still think of their anonymous kindness.</p>

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<p>Many years ago we were driving from NY to VA with two young children. We were travelling back roads and were approximately 2.5 hours into our trip when it became apparent that our transmission was failing. Car wouldn’t go faster than 35 mph. We were broke, it was a Saturday, what to do. We pulled off at a state police station which was deserted - and a car pulled up. It was a mechanic for one of the local dealerships - young kid. Looked under our hood, asked us to follow him to AutoZone, H bought a small part (less than $10) that the kid put in for us. We made it back to Virginia and the car ran well for quite a while. And he wouldn’t take any money.</p>

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<p>Sabaray, our stories lead me to believe there are wonderful angels out there and they happen to be great mechanics! :)</p>

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<p>These stories of kindness and compassion are uplifting and remind us that there are wonderful people in our everyday lives. There is a lovely song, “Angels Among Us”, it is on some Christmas CD’s.</p>

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<p>Isn’t that funny, lilmom! Everyone seems to complain about mechanics and here are two examples of them coming to our rescue.</p>

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<p>I had all but forgotten this!</p>

<p>Forty years ago I was a young 21-year-old who was just finishing a two year journey through Central and South America. I splurged for my last night and stayed in a high class hotel in Bogota, taking numerous hot showers for only about the 4th time in 2 years and ordering room service.</p>

<p>The next morning I put on my backpack and hailed a cab to the airport, only to discover that I had spent my last peso (or whatever the Colombian currency was; I can’t remember now) for my “splurge.” After discovering this I told each cab driver who stopped that I had no money whatsoever for the long drive to the airport. I finally found a cabbie who told me that when he was my age he travelled extensively and not only did he take me to the airport, but gave me a handful of Colombian coins as souvenirs!</p>

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<p>I spent all day yesterday ferrying the teenager to all of her commitments. First was her African dance class, where the teenagers in the class were spending 90 minutes learning an ancient dance instead of shopping, texting or running the streets. The teacher is about to go on a trip to Africa to help the kids there.</p>

<p>Then we went to D’s church where a dozen teenagers gave up the entire afternoon practicing songs and dances for their youth group. When one girl lost confidence, the others rallied around her. When their energy flagged, one of them did a bit of silliness to get them going. When the time came to leave, they all prayed for the Sandy Hook victims. </p>

<p>Some of these kids have real challenges in life. Some of them come from schools or neighborhoods where other more affluent families won’t set foot. But they’re all leaders and role models for others and will be the change…here’s at least a dozen youth who WON’T be one of those “what’s wrong with kids today” kids. I didn’t mind my taxi service yesterday at all.</p>