Suburban Guerrilla

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Kindness

Apr 23rd, 2008 at 2:15 pm by Susie

As I like to say to some of my younger, snarkier friends, “I’ve never known anyone on their deathbed who said, ‘You know, I really wish I’d been meaner to people.’”

And that’s why stories like this make me glad.

Posted in Higher Ground

8 Responses to “Kindness”

on 23 Apr 2008 at 2:49 pm1neil

Now all we need is for all the other tens of millions of families who are struggling and unable to make ends meet to have a feature story written about them. It’ll take a few years to get to them all, but by gum, we can lick poverty this way!

Seriously, though, I wonder how many more families would be helped if these do-gooders donated to social aid organizations, instead of all donating to one woman and thus taking her from struggling to privileged.

The icing on the cake is that they wrote the story about this family to illustrate the problems that so many families face. But now, they’re writing a story about how this family is doing great — so what does that illustrate?

Meanwhile, more kids are going to bed hungry this week than last week.
on 23 Apr 2008 at 3:33 pm2k

I guess some people don’t get it.
I saw a little corner of this urge to be kind the other day. A man came in to buy milk, and had gotten to the counter when he realized he’d forgotten his wallet. The woman standing at the counter paying for her gas spoke up and said she’d pay for the milk just as a little favor, that it wasn’t any trouble. I think the man might have been embarrassed, but we made sure we said nice things about the woman’s coat before she left.
The point is, these people get the idea that a little bit can go a long way in somebody’s life - and hopefully they carry on with it. People see that it’s not a faceless nameless entity with no soul, but an actual human being.
I’m angry enough that I’ll shut up now.
on 23 Apr 2008 at 3:36 pm3Bob

neil: Most people give through multiple sources. My giving runs the range from payroll deductions to checks to 501(c) Organizations to bills to panhandlers, as is true of most people I know. Would you look at me handing a couple bucks to a street person and wonder how much better it would be if I instead donated to a charity? What the hell is wrong with direct action?
Even a cynical old bastard like me was touched by the story. It’s good to know there are a lot of people out there who will help out. That’s not a bad thing.
on 23 Apr 2008 at 3:56 pm4somegirl

yesterday a friend of mine said (after the umpteenth call/ visit re the election ” i wish half the energy going into this election would go to helping people.” yeah, i know people think that all that money and time help people, but does it really?

the other day someone actually said they were too busy to hold the door for me as i was struggling with my unwieldy cart of luggage. we’re talking maybe 5 seconds. how big of a rush do you have to be in to not have time to hold a door?
on 23 Apr 2008 at 5:09 pm5Pat Johnson

It is what is known as “paying it forward”. The ripple effect will be felt for a long, long time. And a pound of birdpoop on the heads of those people who felt the need to be cruel.
on 24 Apr 2008 at 2:11 am6Nancy

awww… this is sweet. thanks, susie. reminds me of what albert einstein said: “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” iirc, james carville has also said something to this effect about democrats.
on 24 Apr 2008 at 8:52 am7misfit

Made me think of “Meet John Doe” (Gary Cooper / Barbara Stanwyck). It might be dated and a little corny, but there are parts that make one kinda misty. If you know the movie, you know what I mean.
on 24 Apr 2008 at 4:55 pm8bryan

I will try to keep you informed in the eventuality of my death.

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Kindness

8 Responses to “Kindness”

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