Have you been a giver or a recipient?
#Curly Tops
“May I know what floor?” This sweet inquiry came from a little girl with naturally curly brown hair, twinkly eyes, and a bright gentle smile as she stood aside to press on the elevator panel. As I stepped in, her younger brother uninhibitedly shared that they were on their way to the oval to play and that they did not live in the building. Overwhelmingly charmed by them, I let them believe that I was clueless about directions and let them play leader. His sister ran, he hopped, he skipped, and I walked. I was late for a dinner meeting but chose to pause, to consciously preserve that moment with two little human beings who just by being themselves showed me more than simply how to get to the playground. Upon reaching the oval, the little boy exuberantly shouted, “Kuya Guard!” and ran straight to him to give a high five. From my vantage point, it was clear that his “Kuya Guard” was just as charmed.
#Mother Earth
“Mommy, please be kind to Mother Earth.” These words had come from my then seven-year-old patient. His mom was telling me about an incident that she had with her son during one well-child visit. She was insisting on buying him a pair of new shoes since his were old, scruffy-looking, and definitely destined for near retirement. Having been their pediatrician since birth, I could only visualize how that went. She went on to say that she was so proud of how he stood his ground and how he gently reassured her that he was happy with what he had. His reasoning: his shoes still serve their purpose and there was no absolute need to buy a new pair. When she did belabor her point, her son offered the very words that signaled the end of the discussion.
#Chuckie
His condition had steadily worsened and we all knew that it was just a matter of time before he would pass on. His parents had been appraised of the situation and the collective decision was that no extraordinary measures were to be instituted except to ensure that he be made comfortable. He was obviously in extreme pain. Knowing that it could be the last or one of the very last visits, I asked him if he wanted to partake in his favorite chocolate drink so that we could get him some from the cafeteria. To this, he said, “Thank you, but we have enough.” My eyes started to well up and I had to step out before tears could fall. Courageous and gracious, that was how he was.
#Cook
“She looked like she needed help.“ This was my niece recounting a story about how she had spent her afternoon in a mall in Makati. A woman in her 80s happened to catch her eye as she appeared dazed and was hanging on to the railing of the escalator. She swiftly came to her side and offered to not only carry the bags that she had dropped but to accompany her where she needed to go. In the ensuing conversation, she learned that she was a cook in an affluent neighborhood and was asked to shop for cooking utensils. Mission accomplished, she waited for her to be fetched. As she was turning away, the old lady handed her contact number and offered to cook for her in any case she might need her services.
These are just but some of the many encounters which never fail to remind us how important it is not only to be a giver but be a gracious recipient of kindness. If love begets love, so does being kind. We were created and born to be good. Wading and living through so much noise in the present has dulled the capacity to appreciate what is inherent.
This is but just one of the many gifts that HE has given us to tap into. It is a gift that is ours to give freely and pass on. Think of it as your personal contribution to making this world a better place. It doesn’t take much to be kind.