Everyday Faux Pas and Everyday Kindnesses~

There are just some things that people shouldn't say or do in certain situations (yes, I am including myself lest you think I'm gettin' preachy!) I've been witness to many faux pas over the years, some funny and some not so much.

When attending someone's funeral one should never say of the deceased, "Well, we knew it was coming..." I heard this a few times at Mom's services and I finally told one individual, calmly I hope, that yes we did know that Mom's time was probably limited but that didn't lessen the pain or shock. ~I mean, c'mon, knowing that a car is coming straight at you and is probably gonna hit you does not make the pain from the crash hurt any less. I'm just sayin'!~

When a child is caught smacking someone, hitting the child and yelling, "Don't hit" may not be the best way to get the point across. I saw someone do this while I was at the grocery store today. *sigh* It's sights like that that make shopping such a joy....

If one is saying hello to a person they haven't seen in a while, derogatory comments about their looks or how they used to be....not a good idea! I had a woman comment on how, um, voluptuous (my word not hers) I had become over the years and then said that it must be bad genes from my mother. Too angry to be diplomatic, I simply turned and left without another word. She got off lucky, m'dears!

I once had a lady say that my sleeveles blouse was innappropriate to wear while I was singing on the praise and worship team (the same team that my Dad led and my Mom sang on with me). A teenager at the time, I was totally bewildered as to how to deal with it and unprepared for some of the things she was calling me. Mom wasn't so hampered. She, in that deliberate way she had of speaking when she was riled, told the woman that if someone was turned on by armpits they needed professional counseling. I still get a chuckle out of that one!

Now, along with the many faux pas I and others around me have encountered, I've been privvy to a number of random kindnesses that were delightful to behold.

A lady that's become a friend of the family told me that she could tell from how our boys acted that I was doing a wonderful job with them. She went on to tell me that she loved being around me because she condsidered me to be a beautiful and genuine person. The compliment was totally unexpected and wonderful....and as usual, made me uncomfortable (I'm odd that way). I told her a quiet thank you. Thinking about that makes me smile and reminds me to pass the compliment along to others so that they can have a "warm fuzzy" moment.

I try to make it a point to look for those everyday kindnesses....the young child who willingly helps a sibling or parent, a person who lets the harried mother take their spot in the check out line, a compliment genuinely given...anything.

Have you witnessed or carried out an Everyday Kindness recently?