About a year ago I won a tote bag from my local grocery store. It’s not an expensive bag. It’s not the biggest prize I have ever won… but winning this bag has meant so much for me over the months that today I’m going to share this special event with you.
Let’s go back to last year.
I had just given up a passion job I had, in exchange for a job that paid more. It was the right move but I was feeling the sacrifice deeply. What made it even worse was the fact that I was not receiving a salary yet. My new employers ended up taking three months to start paying me. So the time came when the savings were gone, and I still needed to buy food for my twins.
So there I was… Standing in the queue at the grocery store, with my meagre offering, sweating and praying that I had enough money. As the teller rang up my items, there was suddenly a huge commotion. Sirens, lights flashing, you name it.
In my dark and depressed state, I just put my head in my hands.
What now?
I assumed something was wrong.
But it wasn’t! The beaming teller told me I had just won a prize!
She proudly handed me the tote. I promise you, I was close to tears. The customer behind me was congratulating me, people were smiling and giving me thumbs ups… I was so elated.
For a tote bag.
The actual prize didn’t matter at all. The fact that I had been graced with a happy surprise, a celebration, a gift in an extremely dark time… that is what mattered most.
And let me tell you something. This bag has a place of honour in my home. To me it is the most beautiful bag I own. It is hope. It is light. It is fun. It is kindness.
Today, as I was laboriously performing a brainless task at work, my eyes caught sight of this special bag that I happened to be using for the day. It brought back all the good feelings and reminded me that doing something kind for someone, no matter how small, may just be the light they need in a dark time.
So do it! Be kind. Be fun. Give someone the gift of your creativity, your smile, your energy for a short time. You never know what difference you could make, now and for years to come, you could be the prize of the tote bag for someone who really needs it.
Embrace your inner tote bag and tell me all about it! I would love to hear about your good deeds! Chat soon! ?
