By M.R. Wilson, TB Reporter

December sneaked in when I wasn’t looking. Fast away the old year passes…

 Indeed, 2016 has flashed by at Warp 9 slasims.com and suddenly it’s time for Hanukkah decorations, Christmas trees and Kwanzaa candles.  officialkwanzaawebsite

Many of us are feeling bruised, perhaps even abandoned, angry, frustrated, and scared. The Grinch youtube.com in me wonders if there is anything generous and jolly left in the American psyche.

I found some reassurance, or should I say reassurance found me?

I just happened to see a Facebook post relating a tale of kindness. At Bonefish Grill bonefishgrill.com an elderly couple attempted to pay using a gift card received from their grandson last Christmas. The cashier found no money on the card. After an unsuccessful attempt to contact their grandson, an argument ensued, causing enormous distress to the patron and his wife, who broke into tears. The person who posted the story tried to flag down her server and offer assistance.  As it turned out, the restaurant manager graciously took care of the bill.

Another generous and jolly happening is a group of old high school friends meeting weekly at Kopper Kitchen kopperkitchenfl.com for lunch. Not only do they share good food and good memories, now ’til Christmas they are making sizable donations to area charitable organizations. Their enthusiasm and good will are contagious. The young restaurant worker helping load bags of clothing and food into the Jolly Organizer’s van was positively beaming.

The other day I saw a guy leaving Sam’s Club. samsclub.com He was dressed in worn clothes, looked tired and downtrodden, but brightened up as he heard a young woman singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,  youtube.com for the Salvation Army.  I’m sure the cash he folded into the collection kettle was hard earned, a true gift of faith and spirit.

During my walk, I crossed paths with a teenager I often see waiting for her school bus. She usually seems crestfallen and resigned, like so many young people nowadays.  This particular morning, however, she was tuned in to her own musical realm and rocking out to something lively. I passed and said, “Keep dancing! It’s good for you!” Her megawatt smile put outdoor light displays to shame.

Maybe that’s what it takes to counter a world of hurt: One person stepping out of the gloom and another with an open heart to notice and validate. Maybe even reciprocate. If you multiply that by two or five or ten, and let it happen again, then you’ve got a lot of good going on. The scales can be balanced, even if only for a short time. Healing begins in split seconds.

I will be on the lookout for more Good Doin’s, observing in out-of-the-way places and welcoming serendipity. It is the season for what used to be called loving kindness…what the world needs now. youtube.com

The Sassy Sandpiper | Columns | Holidays | M.R. Wilson | TB Reporter

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