Have you ever stopped to think about practicing a random act of kindness? What about practicing a random act of kindness in front of a stranger's face? Yesterday I had an experience that I would like to share, because I just thought it was so rare and unusual. I thought about it so much yesterday and today, that I decided it would be appropriate to write it on here, as so much negativity takes place in this world we forget about the good.
After work yesterday I had to stop at the grocery store to pick up a few things, and I figured while I was there I should get some cards as my mother's birthday and Father's Day is coming up. Walking in the aisle, this older lady comes right up to me and says "You are so beautiful. You have a great smile and you glow." I was floored, because I haven't been feeling so great lately, let alone feel beautiful, as I am dealing with the lovely first trimester morning sickness. She went on to tell me she was sorry to approach me like this, but she had to tell me. I have no problem talking to strangers, and I did not feel put off by this one bit. This woman proceeded to tell me thirty years ago she was in a serious car accident and she said she died on the operating table a few times, and it left a different outlook for her on life. "It changed me" she said.
I went on to ask her if she had a near death experience. And she said that she did. She said she was in a coma for three months, one side of her body was paralyzed, and she had to relearn to walk, talk, and all the normal human movements that we sorely take for granted. The woman explained to me many fascinating details of her experience, in that it only took her one month to relearn all these detrimental skills again. Her favorite poem (and one of mine too) is Footprints, and she said the last line of the poem "Footprints" reminds her of her ordeal with the accident. "My son, my precious child, I love you and would never leave you, During your times of trial and suffering, When you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." This line ALWAYS makes me cry....
There are so many important messages she gave me, I feel like I am having a hard time believing what happened was real. One message she gave me was of her near death experience. She said the first time she remembered anything of it was thirty six months ago. She does not know what triggered it, but somehow she recalled the feelings. She described the familiar white light, but she explained to me she actually walked into it which a lot of people do not make it that far. She said she was on the other side and she could feel so much love and felt people she loved were around her. I believe she told me that she even saw her dad.
All of us are guilty of having poor me days, or when real bad things happen, you say to yourself "Where is God when I really need Him?" While I am not overly religious in the slightest, I too have had this question run through my head. This stranger assured me that God is with everyone, and he has been with them during all those good times too, and she told me she could see the light of God around everyone. She told me to take nothing for granted, as you never know which day is going to be your last....And so frequently this happens. And all of us think "It isn't going to happen to me", until we actually witness the loss of a life taken so early.
How many of people would have actually made time for a conversation like this with a total stranger? My guess is not many people would, in fact, it is possible some would be so put off by something like this. But I have always felt I never know what shape or form my messages are going to come from. I try not to take information like this for granted. I always feel if I actually take time to smell the roses I will have the answers I was looking for eventually. And in the end, I believe we both walked away pretty happy people. I was blessed by her compliment and she reaped the rewards for making someone feel good.
The whole time talking to this woman, she had very unusual eyes, and her energy field just radiated that pure white sunny light. And I am thanking all the many Gods that I pray to for sending her my way.
Whether or not you are religious, I do believe that this experience has a lot of good messages. Be grateful for the time we get because we don't know when it is going to run out. And, last but not least, don't be afraid to practice a random act of kindness, whether or not it is to the person's face or you decide to buy the coffee for the person behind you in the drive thru. There is so much negative activity in our thoughts and words and we forget what it can be like to be positive.
