Opportunity is Random, Kindness is Character

I don't think any act is random, it's an opportunity that can appear unexpected, and kind people use those opportunities for kindness, and others either miss them, or use them for unkindness.
So often we talk about, blog about, and report bad news; but I have to share what many might call "a random act of kindness," but I simply refer to it as a kind person utilizing an opportunity to show kindness, completely unexpected by the recipient.

I realize there is a big debate about whether G-d's people should even celebrate birthdays. Well, I don't get too far into the debates about not celebrating life, because I don't really have a dogmatic view, but I have witnessed and been a part of a most amazing birthday gifting. I grew up in a family that celebrated within the vicinity of a birthday, usually a Sunday afternoon closest to the date of birth being celebrated. It was simply a matter of working around the adults' work schedules. Now that I am fully aware that G-d's calendar and the Gregorian are different, I'm guessing my birthday celebration usually landed somewhere close to both and sometimes maybe even on one or the other!

As an adult, birthdays haven't been quite the big deal they were as a kid, and to be honest, I truly prefer to spend my birthday alone with no particular obligations of participation. I always get a few cards from friends and family, a phone call or two, and "the check" from my parents, but as for my child and my last spouse, there was just never any reason to hope it would be even acknowledged. If I got a phone call from my daughter, that was great, and if not, it wasn't really a let down, I just knew not to expect much. I say all that to say this . . . what happened last year was the most awesome gift and example of celebrating a birthday, I've witnessed in a human being and he taught his son something of value for life.

My buddy-in-law, Scott, was going to Omaha when I found out my friend in Iowa was having a health crisis. I'd seen her just weeks before and knew she wasn't in a good place with her health, so the conversation we'd had on the phone a Shabbat in July, really concerned me. I explained it to everyone when I got off the phone and asked Scott if he'd mind letting me ride along up north. He said, of course, no problem. So Sunday morning, we headed north, he and I, and picked up his son, my grandson, in KC. The three of us had a pretty nice road trip. It was a bit out of his way, but he showed no irritation and my grandson is a great little traveler. They had their soda pop, I had my water, and we were road trippin.'

We got to my destination about four in the afternoon and those guys still had about an hour and a half to go. I knew I had truly gotten there just about in time. By later that evening she was in the hospital diagnosed with a heart attack in progress. It was not a good prognosis and hospice was notified. We got back to her house and to be honest, I didn't know what to expect through the night, so I prayed . . . and prayed some more. The next day, there were lots of plans made and meetings, etc. I was to be there until Tuesday, which just so happened to be Scott's birthday. I had planned to have a more uplifiting visit with my friend, and pick up a card when running errands, but the events didn't exactly unfold as I hoped. So I thought I'd try to do something when we got back home that evening. I was truly hoping everyone at the house had at least baked a cake, or done something for him. I do try to be pretty conscientious in remembering special occasions.

My road trip buddies showed up just a little after noon, that Tuesday afternoon and it had been quite an ordeal, to say the least. Scott knew it was bad, and his mother had packed us ice water, etc for the trip back home. As we left that little Iowa town, I told Scott "Happy Birthday!" He said thank you, then looked in his rear-view mirror at Boston sitting in his big boy car seat and told him to give G-ma the present they'd picked out. I sat there a bit puzzled, and reminded him it was his birthday not mine. He smiled . . . Boston's little face just beamed as he produced a wonderful hummingbird feeder and proclaiming, "This is for the little birds on the deck." Except for a thank you, I was speechless. I can picture both of their smiles as I write this. I'd never seen such a self-less way to celebrate a birthday and he'd taught his son a lesson most of us never even think about.

It's been years since I've received anything but a few cards and phone calls and "the check" from Mom and Dad, on my own birthday. Although I'm grateful for those acknowledgements and the money is always nice, I'll never forget the thoughtfulness of a gift given to me from someone on their birthday! That was no random act of kindness, that was a purposeful act from a kind person.