Project Awesomeness!!
Some of the greatest life lessons I've learned in my journey are - listening to people, hearing their stories, realizing that we're all connected to each other, and that what we do to one person can echo to another. So the point of this thread is as follows: I ask each of you to think of ways that you can help people or create a sense of community.
I know a lot of us like to have a sense of connection to something and to each other. In what ways do you do this? And if you don't do this, I challenge you to find ways. Some examples I can think of: Do you write letters or cards to the people you care for? Do you tell the people you care about that you care about them or that you love them? Do you participate in community events? Do you listen to and offer words of encouragement? Other?
I'd like for this thread to serve two purposes. 1) For us to brainstorm and share ideas of how we can help build our loving community. 2)To put these ideas to the test and maybe start a movement of awesomeness!! Project Awesomeness!
I'll start. About a month ago, I went to the local fruit smoothie place Jamba Juice. As I was being rung-up at the cash register, I asked the lady how she was and if she had any plans for the upcoming weekend. She then told me about her plans to go to a reunion at her old high school. They were closing the school she went to years ago and having a cookout at the school for one last time. Today I went to the same store and ordered my smoothie. And as I was picking up my order, I asked her about her cookout and how it went. She ended-up not going but she was SO SO excited that someone remembered that about her and caused her to have the biggest grin.
See? Project Awesomeness! Your turn, VegWeb. Share your stories, ideas, suggestions on what you do to spread the love and community to your fellow men and women. How can we make a positive difference in someone's life that will echo in positivity towards the next person and the person after that? :)
-Josh
lol. Your story sounds like every leadership audiobook to which I've listened.
Ha! Thank? You? I've never read any of those books or been to any of the seminars. But I did make her day. :)
i am going to take this as insperation to get adresses of family members, ones that i never talk to, the ones in new mexico/spain/south carolina, and send postcards every week and try to build on family connections slowly. maybe see what else i have out there and make someones day from a great distance. maybe send postcards to childhood friends' homes too, to see if they are forwarded, and maybe put one of those 'or current resident' things on there.
thanks for the thread joshy :)
Joshy, you are the most awesome person ever!
When someone rings up my purchases in a grocery store or other shop where people are required to wear name tags, I always say "thank you ______" and they almost always look up and smile. I think so often people that have to work with the public, in jobs that might be viewed as "low level", feel kind of insignificant and take a lot of abuse from stressed out, irritated shoppers for things that aren't their fault (long lines, items that don't ring up correctly, etc.). Saying thank you to them personally by using their names means that someone noticed and appreciated them.
Yes!!! I love you two! These are the things I'm looking for!! Thank you so so so much for sharing! :) :)
-Josh(y)
right now, most of my energy is focused on things with my family, close and extended. I spent the morning and afternoon at the hospital with my sis-in-law. I made sure I expressed apreciation to every staff member who came in her room for anything from the housekeeper to the maligned dietary suppervisor who tried to get her to order meals and all I coud get her to order before 4 PM was an orange, to the nuses, doctors and especially the social worker.These people put up with so much and are often taken forgranted or argued with by people who know very little.
I have about two words of Chinese, "Hello" and "Thank you." I always use them whenever I go into our Asian supermarket, or any Chinese-owned shop...and it always gets me a grin and a little nod. They like that someone would bother to try to communicate in their words.
Very awesome, indeed semiveg and Yabbit!!! Thank you so much for sharing! :)>>>
I was at the beach today and got stuck behind two elderly ladies. They saw me behind them and let me past. We enjoyed a few smiles and laughs as we walked down the sidewalk. It was nice. Just taking the time to be patient to listen is awesome. I need to do it more than I currently do. :)
My 3rd to last day working retail and I met two increadable ladies. One is a social worker, the other a foster (grand)mother. The were shopping with a girl, I am guessing about 13-14 who is in the foster care system. Her mom had always dressed her in boy clothes. She was trying on dresses and other "girl clothes" for the first time in her life. The girl was an international addoption and turned out to be autistic. The adopted mom could not/would not deal with her. The foster grandmother is a jem. Just had to brag on her even though she is not part of this group.
Ohh!! I like it, semiveg! Thank you or sharing. :)
A lot of my students are professionals in the age range of 29-35. And they are terribly lonely, isolated people for the most part. Oh yeah, they have family and relationship partners and friends and all that--but when they really need someone to talk to, they come to me. I am not bragging--this is humbling. It's like I'm their mom and they know they can ask me for advice (like I'm gonna have that in stock!)
Yesterday an aeronautics engineer turned up for her 90 min with her dog, a wonderfully behaved black Cocker; I was surprised until I realised she had been crying and was trying not to. I think the dog was her "teddy bear" helping her keep it together. Besides I love dogs and we clicked right off. I asked her what was up and she told me about this "friend" of hers that she had finally told off. "Friend" is one of those people who spends all their time tearing you down so they can feel better about themselves. You did WHAT? Oh, that was dumb. You bought THAT? Oh, excuse me, but I wouldn't be caught dead dressed in that! And on and on.
So I taught Sonia a new American phrase: "Kick her to the curb!"
Sonia was so surprised that her dog and I were communicating. I told her, "I speak Dog!" :-D
Actually it's very humbling to know that people bring me their troubles and know I won't tell anyone else here about it. It's nice to have "kids."
I can't take credit for this, but my daughter (also vegan!) scans our local newspaper for the birthday announcements of the elderly, and will send them a homemade birthday card. She usually gets a two or three page handwritten letter in return, and once got a personal visit from the daughter of one of her correspondents to tell her how much her card made her mother's day. Needless to say, I'm one of my daughter's biggest fans!
I'm so so happy you two shared your stories. I loved reading them. :)
Welcome to VegWeb, closetvegan.
Thanks for the welcome, PM!
I am in such admiration toward you wonderful people. I need to do a lot of work before I can become AFM, but this thread will be one of my inspirations.
I had a lesson on the effectiveness of noticing people. Yesterday the equivalent of the Roto-Rooter man came. Explaining his job would entail explaining the weird Spanish plumbing system, but it involves clearing out a sort of septic box full of sewage under the entryway. And this man does it without gloves or mask! The reek is horrendous. I once spoke to him about it and suggested he get at least some gloves, but he said he'd been doing it since he was 15 and had never had any problems. This was months and months ago. People usually ignore him aside from complaining about the stench. (Which comes from their leavings, it's not like he "did it.")
Anyway he was working there and I was going out with my shopping trolley, which is a bit difficult when there's a gaping, smelly hole in the middle of the entry. He stopped work and greeted me, asked me how I was etc. He was really nice, with an oldfashioned politeness in his speech you seldom hear here anymore.
Noticing the person behind the job counts.
Some of the greatest life lessons I've learned in my journey are - listening to people, hearing their stories, realizing that we're all connected to each other, and that what we do to one person can echo to another. So the point of this thread is as follows: I ask each of you to think of ways that you can help people or create a sense of community.
I know a lot of us like to have a sense of connection to something and to each other. In what ways do you do this? And if you don't do this, I challenge you to find ways. Some examples I can think of: Do you write letters or cards to the people you care for? Do you tell the people you care about that you care about them or that you love them? Do you participate in community events? Do you listen to and offer words of encouragement? Other?
I'd like for this thread to serve two purposes. 1) For us to brainstorm and share ideas of how we can help build our loving community. 2)To put these ideas to the test and maybe start a movement of awesomeness!! Project Awesomeness!
I'll start. About a month ago, I went to the local fruit smoothie place Jamba Juice. As I was being rung-up at the cash register, I asked the lady how she was and if she had any plans for the upcoming weekend. She then told me about her plans to go to a reunion at her old high school. They were closing the school she went to years ago and having a cookout at the school for one last time. Today I went to the same store and ordered my smoothie. And as I was picking up my order, I asked her about her cookout and how it went. She ended-up not going but she was SO SO excited that someone remembered that about her and caused her to have the biggest grin.
See? Project Awesomeness! Your turn, VegWeb. Share your stories, ideas, suggestions on what you do to spread the love and community to your fellow men and women. How can we make a positive difference in someone's life that will echo in positivity towards the next person and the person after that? :)
-Josh
Josh, this is a great thing you are doing. Most people don't believe their beliefs and intentions affect the whole.
You definitely have my admiration.
Josh, this is a great thing you are doing. Most people don't believe their beliefs and intentions affect the whole.
You definitely have my admiration.
You're too kind, sir. :) I'm just trying to do what I can, when I can. I'm certainly not perfect and I don't always do these things. I'll never lie and say I do them 24/7. But it doesn't hurt to try.
Thank you again and welcome to VegWeb.
-Josh
Thank you for this thread. It really has made me stop and think about how other people affect my life and that I should express my gratitude for them more often. Specificly, I need to write several thank you notes to the staffs at two skilled nursing facilities over the next few days. Most people take the low level staff at such places for granted. In the last month or so, my sis-in-law was treated great at one facility in spite of major health issues that were a pain to treat, went to the hospital for a while and then transfered to a second skilled nursing facility that was a block from the asst living home her mother lives at. My sis in law passed away this week and durning her final 2 days while she was unconcious, many of the aids came by to see how she was doing during their breaks or at the ends of their shifts if they were not assigned to her. These people make very little money in general but all the difference in the quality of care/life of the residents and deserve a lot more respect than they typically get. They are my heros.
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