Have you ever been know to utter the term, "Well, that's my good deed done for the day"?
We sometimes say this quite flippantly, perhaps even use it as a deflection to a compliment or thanks when we do something nice so that the recipient doesn't make a big deal out of whatever we've done that we may attempt to keep our egos from gaining power.
Today I remembered that I used to make a point of doing and noting a good deed that I performed every day. That is not to say that I no longer do good deeds or that I have a limit of one - and only one - good thing that I do on a daily basis, it's just that I used to make sure I did it and that I noted that it was part of my daily routine.
The only condition that I placed on the good deed was that it had to be something that I went out of my way to do, so for example, picking up a toddlers shoe and handing it back to the mother behind me in the supermarket line wouldn't count because I didn't have to actually go out of my way, whereas leaving the checkout line to help someone with a baby on one hip whose toddler has just knocked over and end stack of cereal boxes would count. That said, having a "daily good deed" focus didn't negate doing good deeds that didn't require me to go out of my way either, it just meant that I still had to do at least one more deed before bed that night.
I particularly like good deeds that didn't result in direct thanks, like picking up rubbish at a picnic area or anonymously dropping $10 in an envelope to someone who I know needs it.
I'm sure there are many different "rules" that daily good deed do-ers have and I think that is another wonderful thing about this in that it is something that you can do on your own terms but that at a minimum contributes to the positive energy of the universe and could, by fate, be a saving grace to someone with an aching soul preparing to loose faith in all humanity. OK, so that's a bit extreme - but it's certainly possible and I know I've been on the receiving end of a good deed several times when I've felt that way so I understand the potential difference these random deeds can make to a person.
It has been many years since I consciously did my daily good deeds, but I think I'm going to make a point of returning to making it a focus in my life. I enjoy noting the increase in opportunities to help (whether they count towards my daily good deed or not) and believe that this is part of being in a community that human beings are hard-wired towards.
It also brings a smile to my lips to still say to myself, "Well, that's my good deed done for the day" (that's the "noting" part of doing the good deed that I was referring to earlier) and if anyone reading this is inclined to start focusing on (either by noting the things they already do or by working towards making them a part of their daily life) then I hope that the same phrase will also run through your mind and that you will feel not only the sense of community from your good deed, but also from the sense of being part of the blogger community as well as the human race - well, the good part of it anyway ☺
2 comments:
I am good deed doer from way back, Wendy. I really believe that a good deed can save an aching soul ~ I used to be one.xx♥
Some reflections on your post.
1. The more I travel in the blogsphere, the more I encounter people who are hurting. It's simply my inclination to offer a kind word (or do something, if I can). But the blogsphere is just one "contact point" with other people.
2. Part of this comes from Micah's instruction to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God. That's just part of who I am.
3. The other part is what you describe:"you will feel not only the sense of community from your good deed, but also from the sense of being part of the blogger community as well as the human race." Community is a concept that has become lost in our time of "individualism." I glad when anyone thinks about it.
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