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| An idea of the sectional I'm about to reference! |
As this past week whizzed by, I was feeling a bit anxious by mid-week because I had yet to come up with a plan for the week's random act of kindness. I think I have mentioned before that I do these acts on a whim, letting the universe present something to me rather than me intentionally seeking out something to do, at least that is how I usually let things move along. So by Wednesday, I was beginning to wonder why nothing had yet presented itself. By early Thursday morning, I was really beginning to fret that my week would end up involving so much time at the office that my act of kindness would fall short for the first time. Well, ask the universe and you shall receive, right?
Early Thursday afternoon, a woman came into my family's business looking at some of our cash and carry/scratch and dent furniture items (by the way, the family business involves furniture, electronics, and appliances, just an FYI). She worked at a local elementary school, and was trying to find some items to help out a Hispanic family that just moved into the district. This poor family, which consisted of a mother, father, and several children, had nothing but a dining room table and some blow-up mattresses in their newly moved into apartment. They did not speak any English, and while the father was going off to work everyday, the mother was trying to navigate getting their kids into school. All of the children were going through testing to see where they stood academically in order to get them enrolled into the correct grade levels. This family had no other relatives in the area, so basically they were going through all of this alone, with no support network but each other, and the kindness of the woman at the school who offered to help them in any way she could...hence why she was visiting our store.
While the woman from the school was checking out the items we had to offer, she told me the Hispanic family's story. I instantly knew that I had to help. Luckily, I had been storing a few of my old furniture items in our warehouse, the items I could not fit into my storage building, and was contemplating what to do with them as I am in longer need of them and they are basically just taking up space. I had already sold a couple of items, such as my bar set and ottoman, but the other items I've been toying with also selling or donating. I decided that this family could really use a kindness, so I offered to give them what items I had left which included my sectional, a coffee table, an end table, and a set of lamps. I didn't have anything else there to give that was my own, but I also managed to come up with a bunk bed and a set of bunkie mattresses that we could no longer sell through the business, so these items we also gave to the family.
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| The bunk bed we donated. |
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| And two of these to go with the bunk bed! |
I should say here that when the woman from the school came to our business looking for furniture items, she was not coming in looking for a donation or a handout, she was looking for items to purchase. I very well could have sold her some furniture, but the story she told moved me. Since I had already been contemplating donating my sectional and other furniture items, I was happy to give them to the family as my act of kindness for the week.
We delivered the items to the family late Thursday afternoon, and our delivery guys said the family was very thankful for the donations. It felt really good to help them out, as I have everything I could ever need and want right now, and they were just barely getting by. Sure I could have made several hundred dollars selling the stuff, but I am not hurting for money right now either. I am no where near wealthy nor do I have money to just toss around, but I do have what I need with a little left over from time to time for the first time in my life. Combine that with my pretty much perfect home life, family, and such, at least it feels perfect right now, than I am definitely in a place where giving to others is within my means, both financially and mentally...if that makes sense.
I still have a storage room full of goods, which someday I will get to cleaning out. At that point be on the lookout for more donations! I will probably end up selling my bedroom suite, but that's because my niece is looking to purchase her first car and the money could help her out, so that's sort of like a donation, right?
Well then, that about wraps up week 8's random act of kindness. I was a little slow getting everything published, but I had a busy week and weekend with very little time left for writing. I cannot wait to see what this week brings, as once again I have no idea what my act of kindness will be at this point. Stay tuned, as I'm sure it will be pretty awesome!
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| Piper approves of this act! |
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