Passing The Give on a Rainy Day
I became aware of this wonderful project through a friend of mine that gave me a band for doing a random act of kindness that she witnessed. I can’t even tell you what it was, but it made her pass a band to me and explain the meaning behind it. Every morning I get up and look at my right wrist determined to move that band to my left throughout the course of my day.
Just recently I was diagnosed with a reoccurance of breast cancer that had metastisized and spread to two other areas in my body. Devastation, frustration, anger were the mirade of emotions I felt. Yet even with this huge scary “thing” on my plate that little blue band kept me focused on the job at hand-continuing to participate in acts of kindness.
This past Wednesday I was in the Safeway in Newton(area of Surrey BC) and watched an elderly lady struggling with a box of cereal on the top shelf. Having just had recent surgery under my arm I couldn’t reach up either. Not spying a grocery clerk anywhere in the vicinity I took it upon myself to lob a box of Capt’n Crunch at the much desired box of Rice Krispies. Long story short we succeeded in freeing Snap, Crackle and Pop without damaging the Capt’n. My new companion laughed at my antics and proceeded to tell me of her recent stroke and how she too could not reach an arm up that high. We shared war stories and finished our shopping together. With a random act of kindness I managed to move my band over to the left and then witnessed something even more amazing.
I was ahead of her in the line and when it came time to pay I presented my Safeway card whereas the cashier informed me that I was 10 points off of achieving 20,000 points. The lady behind me who had shared a good cereal chuckle with me earlier, asked the cashier to use my points card with her order so that I would get my points. This merrited the actual giving of my Give band to her.
I explained the idea of the band to her on my way to our cars and throughout the talk we had she smiled and promised to wear it everyday. I wrote my name and phone number on the back of the band and told her that I had three strong young men at home that would be glad to help her should she ever require it and that I was available for a coffee anytime.
Later that evening I got a phone call from Julie and she asked if I could come meet with her and her daughter at Tim’s the next morning. I accepted and when I met the two ladies that Thursday morning, somewhat sad that I no longer had my little blue friend on my wrist, Julie’s daughter Alison hugged me and handed me a Give band. She said she had been at a fundraising event and a nice young man had given her one and up until yesterday she had not found anyone to pass it to. My antics with the cereal isle and the giving of my original band touched her heart and she wished that more people in the world were like her mother and I.
I walk around with a huge smile and proudly wear my Give band yet again!
Lori Shier
