Friday, February 17, 2012

Choose to Do Good



It seems as though my writing is going through a dry spell.  There just hasn't been anything interesting and inspiring enough.  Maybe that itself is worth writing: seeing the extraordinaries in the mundaneness.   

I reached my 11th anniversary with my Company a week after I returned to work.  It seemed only yesterday that I celebrated my 10th year.  I was surrounded by great people: warmth, well wishes, laughs, congratulations, and a big spread of delightful pastries. Friends spoiled me with nearly 30 pounds of unrivaled Starbucks coffee from Guatamela called Casi Cielo, which lasted me for exactly one year.  Even Oprah SKYPED in; as a gift, she gave me the State of Montana...   I dare say, not everyone gets this royal treatment.   



I love bragging about my friends at work.  They are one of many reasons I returned to work: They help me become a better human being.

Fast forward to today. Today was extraordinary. Today I found the extraordinaries in the mundaneness, and it started with a voicemail.  


My good friend Janelle and her partner had a sweet Corgi named Abby, who passed away recently.  I decided to paint a watercolor of Abby for Janelle and Pam for one simple reason - because I can.  I then baked my delightful coconut-milk buns to share with my friends.


This morning, I received the warmest voicemail from Pam.  It made an extraordinary day as I realized that my random, simple act had actually made Pam so happy, and that it had meant so much to her.  What made it extraordinary was the fact that I did exactly what I wanted to do, and I was not concerned about, or attached to, the outcome.  I didn't worry about how the painting would turn out; what Abby would look like; whether the coconut buns would be tasty.  Pam's reaction and the positive outcome was the icing on the cake.  It reminded me that I could not possibly go wrong if I do something out of love and care.  


I was once again humbled and reminded that I have the power to make choices.  I may never live to know what impact I make on another person by what I say or what I do.  So given the opportunity, choose to remark what just *may* leave a positive impact.  


Choose to do good.