Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Two Notes Per Week

My mom went to church with a woman who, if it weren't for this one habit she had, I would never have thought twice about.  She had her weaknesses just like the rest of us but she did something to make the world a little better every week.  She wrote two notes.  Just two notes every week.

I remember hearing her say that she had realized that it was something that she could do to lift people and help them feel a little happier, a little more appreciated, a little more like they were able to handle this crazy life.  Every week she would just look around for people who were doing a good job.  Someone who was patient with their children.  Someone who helped someone else.  Someone who gave an extra effort in their work.  And sometimes she would just look for people who she felt like really needed someone to tell them how great they were....because we all need that sometimes. 

Then, she would write them a little note telling them that great thing about them and how she admired it or appreciated it.  Years and years of doing this every week.  It took only a few minutes and she mailed it off.  But the effects of those little notes lasted more than a few minutes. I imagine that sometimes those notes kept someone going all week.  I imagine that some of those notes saved someone's day.  And I know that that just writing those little notes was a bright spot in the woman's life as well.

So, in my quest to actually do something that matters (not that doing 500 loads of laundry and mopping up orange juice off the floor doesn't matter...but, I'm just saying...)  I decided to try this out.  Who is great and needs to know it?  My mind started to wander....my daughter had been so helpful lately.  I should tell her that.  She has an activity day leader who has gone above and beyond what she needed to and done a fantastic job.  I should tell her.  The more I thought about it the more I realized what good there is the world.  I thought about my son's teachers and my friends who will pick something up at the store for me.  I thought about the patient mom and the devoted leader.  And then I stopped.  It's OK, I don't need to go over board.  Just two notes will be fine for this week.  I'll do two more next week.  It's small but somehow I think it will matter...maybe most of all to me.

Who do you know who needs to know how great they are?

2 comments:

  1. Just thought I would let you know how much I enjoy your blog. One of the Cheney cousins was bragging about how excited she was about your blog, so I checked it out. I don't have a lot of time to myself with six children of my own and another on the way, but I take time to read what you write because you remind me why I wanted to be a mom, and what good we are all capable of. Keep up the good work.
    Melinda Cheney Swanson

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