Memories of Kindness

It is always a lovely moment when memories of kindness float up.

My Mum and I had lunch together last Saturday and on the way home I popped into a supermarket. I added one of the bags for life to my shopping, as we are in the midst of de-cluttering at home. The bag is a pretty deep pink, decorated with sunflowers, yellow peppers, corn on the cob and the words,

'Lemons, Flowers, Lawnmowers & Peppers'.

As I packed my shopping, the lady at the till and I chatted. We talked about the bag and how it made us smile, and I told her a story.

At the start of the millennium, my family was in a bind and I knew we were in for a long haul. This supermarket ran a promotion that summer where all their fruit and vegetables were half-price for six weeks. As the promotion ended, it had been so popular that it was extended. Whoever in the management chain made these decisions has my gratitude. I have not forgotten their kindness and the difference it made to my family.

The Earth has taken over twenty turns around the sun since then, and Wales is now home.

Our local farm shop is a special place. Steve runs the fruit and veg shed there, and I usually pop in after taking a service. It's grounding and a peaceful place to visit. I can buy just one of anything; everything has been fresh that day and is seasonal. With an absence of packaging, I can buy just what we need. Also, there are no prices on display and it never occurs to me to ask.

I find more than fresh fruit and veg under the wooden eaves, as Steve and I always have a chat. He is kind and we share common ground in both being self-employed with roles removed from the usual nine to five. There is beetroot Steve has cooked at home beside his till, and it's one of Tim's favourites. He also sells wild and pet bird seeds, cakes, biscuits, and local honey and sometimes has special coffee deals.

If he can spare the time, we continue to natter as he carries my box to the car.

I share with him that his kindness is a therapy.

We never know where kind energy flows and how it touches others' lives, and I am sure kindness is never forgotten. 🩷