How Random Acts of Kindness Transformed My Day

If you are frustrated, fed up and feeling a bit like the world can feel like a big ball of unkindness then please STOP and read this post. It will transform your opinion, and day, immediately.

Let’s start from the beginning, shall we?

So today was an emotional day… It was Oliver’s first day of school at a new school, in Year 3 (Xander has a half day in the afternoon on Friday as his ‘first day’) and I had a bit of a cry when I got home after collecting him, because it’s a new start for us all and I’m one weepy mama.

We are happy here but it’s an emotional time. A time of change but also of adventure. We need to find our feet and get into a routine again.

So feeling a bit sorry for myself, I took Xander off into town to do ALL the BORING jobs, below…

1. Visit the doctors to fill out forms.
2. Hand in Oliver’s birth certificate to school.
3. Ask Lloyds to print business statements I couldn’t find to send to my accountant.
4. Send the above and recent receipts to my accountant in the post office.
5. Buy a toy for Xander and Oliver to celebrate them both starting school this week.
6. Get Xander fitted for new school shoes.
7. Go to the supermarket to buy things the online delivery were unable to deliver like flowers, toilet roll, kitchen towels, oat milk, burgers etc.
8. Get a cab home due to the weight of the above.

And this is what happened…

In every single place we visited, Xander and I were the recipients of random acts of kindness. Now, look, there’s ‘good servic’e and then there’s ‘strangers who treat you like family’ and the latter is what we discovered, everywhere…People consistently and repeatedly went above and beyond to help us both, and they were endlessly gracious, caring and considerate. Strangers each, and every one. Let me pin point what happened in each location…

1. The doctors’ receptionists (who often get a bad rep for stern customer services) were kind, upbeat, and reassuring when I couldn’t find any of our NHS numbers nor pretty much any of the details needed on the registration forms (which I’ve now brought home to fill in). Rather than getting frustrated with me, they were understanding and polite. It was as if they could tell I was struggling a bit today.  They were good eggs, basically.
2. Next up, was returning to school. Having taken in the incorrect birth certificate for Oliver originally (without mine and my husband’s details), I returned with the longer form. School receptionists are generally busy, yet I watched as every parent was spoken to with respect and genuine care, and not one felt rushed during their conversations despite a line of people patiently waiting. Just as it should be, but so often isn’t. Oh and a parent kindly shared his child’s Peppa Pig sweets with mine after school too. Sweet.
3.  In the bank, both the cashier and later, the manager were incredibly patient and wonderful with my requests. They made the whole experience of searching for missing statements and printing them, a complete pleasure when it was a laborious process. They were both attentive to my child too (and understanding, when he kept trying to open the automatic doors-argh) which meant so much to me (I even tweeted my thanks). I was exhausted and emotional and their kindness washed over me like a great big hug. In fact I even kissed the manager goodbye on her cheek I was so grateful, and it wasn’t even weird. She was lovely.
4. Following that was the men in the post office who again, were the sweetest people you could ever hope to meet. No eye-rolling or sighs despite a long line waiting and endless requests. Just wide smiles and laughter. Plus, when I realised the envelope I’d stuffed the millions of aforementioned statements in, was about to break, the assistant wouldn’t hear of me buying an envelope from their selection, and instead carefully sellotaped it back together for me (using his sellotape at no extra charge as well). They also asked if I’d recently moved and gave me tips on where to shop in the area. Total gems.
5. The assistants at Daniel Department Store were also attention (but not pushy)-and so much so that I ended up buying a ton of cards, a print in a frame and a make-up bag I hadn’t even gone in for. Yes, you could say it was their job to behave that way,  but sadly so many shops seem to struggle with consistently great customer service. Not in Windsor. Every store I’ve been in from (and I’ve shopped a lot since we’ve moved) from big brand names to independents have been on-point every single day.
6. The same applied when Xander was fitted with his shoes. Everyone falls for that kids’ charm (he’s just so cute), and the young assistant said he was the most pleasant child she’d met and it was the loveliest experience fitting him. He loved the first shoes he tried on, was polite and made her laugh-and we skipped out there 10 minutes after we arrived. Both the assistant and the manager also apologised for our one minute wait at the start. One minute! The kindness didn’t stop there either…
7. Whilst paying for my items in the supermarket, the chap behind the desk reduced my roses by 50% and gave me a free shopping bag (the large, quality ones) for no reason other than to be kind. I told him good karma was coming his way!
8. On the ride home, the cabbie opened the doors for us both to get in, took all the bags weighing me down and popped them onto his seat and the boot and even offered to carry them upstairs for us when we arrived home. How flipping nice is that?

Windsor, you’ve restored my faith in humanity and the universe, today, not that I’d lost it, but I felt emotionally-drained and everyone in Windsor literally turned my frown upside down as Xander would say!

I love helping others, not for anything in return other than I want to and it gives me pleasure to, but to receive a little cosmic karma in return made my day, today. Literally. Thank you x

 

 

Photo by Kirsty Mattsson Photography.

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