Kind contributions :)

     For much of the time that I lived in the Bow Valley, one of my girlfriends, whom I will now refer to as SW, and I would get together on Monday's for our weekly bonding time. As it happened we would have free time and/or not be working on Monday's . Lucky us! Our typical Monday consisted of meeting up downtown Canmore, get a delicious cup of coffee, FYI we both would kill for a proper Americano, wander around in the book store, look at the outdoor gear in Valhalla, and try on funny, although supposedly stylish, hats in Indigo Bay, one of the clothing stores in town. For the most part we would just really enjoy each other's company and our girl friend time.

     Last Monday SW and I were out for a long walk in Bow Valley Provincial Park. This day our topic of  discussion was random acts of kindness. She related a story of a day she had gone to pick up a prescription at the drug store. She noticed how incredibly busy the pharmacy and pharmacist was. Considering the busyness she asked the pharmacist if she could pick him up a cup of coffee to help him out. After hearing SW's offer the pharmacist was taken aback, and remarked that no one had ever offered to get him a cup of coffee before. He declined the offer as he already had a cup of coffee, but was incredibly grateful for the offer and deeply touched. When SW went back to pick up her medication the pharmacist actually gave her a coupon for a free coffee that he had. Irrespective of the coffee coupon SW felt a great happiness about trying to give back to this stranger that she wanted to continue offering random acts of kindness to others. Perhaps in the hope that someday someone would accept the free coffee that she offered.

     In turn I shared some of my own 'random acts of kindness' stories and how good they made me feel and how I always feel like doing more, giving more, and making this a regular part of my life. Suddenly it hit me. I turned to SW and proposed that from here on in we should have 'Good Samaritan Mondays'! I explained, inspired by our Monday girl friend days and the absolute appreciation and enjoyment we share together we should now share this with others by doing random acts of kindness, so called "Good Samaritan Mondays"! We shook on it, laughed a little and continued our walk with huge smiles on our faces :D

     There were a couple of ambiguities, such as what would we consider 'an offer of kindness' or can we include people we know or not. But that would all be determined by circumstance and situation. Luckily enough an opportunity presented itself this past Friday. Yes, I know it was not Monday, but I would still like to count it. I was at the Greyhound depot picking up a package from my Mom. When I came back outside to go to the car a young Taiwanese girl approached me. She had just arrived in Banff and was trying to get to the bus stop so she could get to the hotel she was staying at. Her luggage was too heavy and abundant for her to walk the several blocks to get where she was going. So she asked if I could give her a ride. To be perfectly honest I was a little caught up with myself that morning. I was departing the Bow Valley that day so I was running around trying to get a bunch of things accomplished beforehand. I did not want to add something else into my schedule or errands. I felt rushed and busy and very focused on what I was trying to accomplish. That being said I knew I wouldn't say no, it is not in my constitution. When I was sixteen years old I shamed myself for a week after an elderly lady asked me to go and buy her a pack of cigarettes and I declined because I didn't want to miss my bus. It wasn't until I realized I wasn't legally able to buy cigarettes at sixteen years old that I let myself off the hook for not helping out this lady. So I said yes to the Taiwanese girl and helped her put her luggage in the car. As we drove to the bus stop she told me that being in Banff and the Rocky Mountains she felt like she was in a fairytale. I was endeared by this as a) I had just come back from travelling where I felt like everything was surreal and a complete fantasy but also b) because I had the exact same sentiment when I first came to the Rocky Mountains and lived in the Bow Valley.
     I brought her to the hotel on the map that she had pointed out to me. Upon arrival she mentioned, again, that she was catching a bus here not saying at the hotel. Poor listening skills on my part. I kept her in the car and decided to drive her to the Fairmont Hotel, where she would be staying and working. She was most grateful for this and thanked me repeatedly. Then she did something that has still had a lasting impact and feeling; she referenced and sang Abba!!! This may seem slightly random or peculiar to some. But this meant EVERYTHING to me. Not only am I a huge Abba fan and do proclaim that Abba saved my life, they totally did when they kept me awake and alert one night while driving through a dangerous mountain range, but she sang "I have a dream". I could have wept right there and then in the car, in front of this girl. Here she was in Canada, achieving, or experiencing one of her dreams. What is more beautiful then that? Even more that she made me to be part of that dream?
     This past year I was able to live three of my life-long dreams. The feeling of accomplishing this is more than I could possibly express or write out in a blog. It was like nothing I have ever known before. To think that that this young girl from Taiwan was experiencing her own dreams brought me right back to my own. There are certain things in life that change you or shape you like nothing else. These experiences have an impact on you that you will never forget and it is an amazing thing. I am not saying that meeting this Taiwanese girl did that for me, but it definitely brought me back the experiences that have done this for me and let me re-live living my dreams.

         Despite my initial selfishness I am really happy I gave a lift to Lucy. I was supposed to help her and offer her a random act of kindness but she actually did that for me. It wasn't a coupon for a free cup of coffee, but I definitely felt the reward!

     Thanks SW. I will forever look forward to Mondays' and the random acts of kindness we will contribute. Luv ya ;)