Compassion

Well....I have been part of my swaps for a little bit now.  If you read this blog, you know that.  If you know me in person, especially at work and on the weekends, you know that I'm spending a lot of time knitting and crafting whenever I can.

What I've also done is RAKs (Random Acts of Kindness).  I have heard of some people who have had some troubles, which we all do, of course....but if I knew you in person and would do something for you, why would I not extend my hand to you if you are far away and we only know each other through a fabulous knitting and crochet community website?  I would.  That's what I do.

So a woman talked about her son, a young boy, who just got put on the kidney transplant list.  Now, I know there are better things in the world, and worse things as well.  But you know when someone just speaks to you?  Well, that she did.  So I got her yarn from Rebel Yarns on Etsy, which has some beautiful colors.  I did do a lot of searching before settling on this yarn.  But she had this one yarn which was gorgeous....it's name was also Hope.  How much more perfect could you get?  Through a little Rav-Stalking I know that she loves the colors...so this was perfect.  I couldn't go wrong.  Then some stitch markers, and  Gloria Patre on Etsy is a stitch marker queen.  There are lots, don't get me wrong....but these said "Love" and the 'o' is a heart.  How awesome is that?  And throw in a little green bead on there for our Slytherin Pride and you can't go wrong!  The thing is....compassion and giving begets compassion and giving.

I got a little gift myself from one of them because that person had had a hard day when my order came in and saw that I was doing something just because for someone else.  So she thought it nice to send me a little something in the package for my thoughtfulness.  And I will use it and love it.  But that's the thing, isn't it?  Why can't people just realize that if we are nice and compassionate....we don't always have to give stuff to other people, just our time and attention sometimes....that we will get it back in return?  Because we will.  And sometimes it doesn't seem like it.  But I have found the more I'm putting myself out there, the more I'm just giving, even if I maybe shouldn't be right now....it's coming back to me.  It's making me a happier, more content person anyway, and I need that.  I think we all do.  It's a blood pressure lowerer, makes us happy and smile, which you can never get enough of, and makes me calm and feel good about myself and who I am.

Now, I can't go on without saying that I have given and given to people, and there are just those takers in the world.  And I've learned my lesson time and time again.  And those people, unfortunately for them I feel, will not ever receive more kindness givings of my heart for nothing anymore.  But I wouldn't take away what I did in the past...because it's who I am.  And there's many more people in the world who can come in and take the place of the takers...I have no problem filling those vacancies.