#2—Joyfully share with your neighbor in a pinch.

26 Expressions of Love and Kindness Plus 1

#2—Joyfully share with your neighbor in a pinch.

            You might consider this a follow-up to yesterday's suggestion.  I am sure some of you reading yesterday's entry considered the possibly negative way your families would be touched if some stores either reduced their hours or closed on Sundays.

            First, realize many stores would make only minor changes if people stopped shopping on holidays or Sundays. 

            Second, consider the changes in your habits you would automatically make if you knew the stores where you shop were changing their hours.  You would make sure you got gas Saturday if you were planning on traveling on Sunday.  On Friday or Saturday, you would make sure you had snacks for the big game on Sunday.  It may not be as "convenient," but it would work, and more people—including some people you know—could watch the big game with family and friends.

            Third, we have the past that shows us limited shopping on holidays and Sundays can work.  For most of my growing-up years, the stores and gas stations in my town were closed, except for one small grocery store which was opened about four hours.  My family simply scheduled our shopping and gas purchases around those hours. 

            However, sometimes the unexpected happened or people just forgot to buy something ahead of time, which brings me to my next point.  Sometimes when we needed something and no grocery store was open, we simply had to rely on the kindness of others.  Have you ever seen in movie or read in a book that was set in the 1960's or before where the mom looks down at her youngster and says something like, "Go next door to Mrs. Leland and borrow a cup of sugar"?  Why?  The homemaker did not realize that she was low on sugar while the store was open, and it was closed when she started baking.  Did Mrs. Leland share?  Usually, yes. 

            All of those neighbors were in the same boat.  They understood the situation.  Consequently, they were all willing to joyfully share with a neighbor in a pinch.  The next time the lender might be the borrower.  Of course, borrowing also meant borrowing, so after the mom next door went shopping, the youngster would be sent back to Mrs. Leland with a cup of sugar to replenish her supply. 

            That type of compassion and sharing seems to have evaporated in today's society.  What would your reaction be if a neighbor came over and asked to borrow a cup of sugar.  I think most people would find that peculiar and wonder why the neighbor didn't just drive to the store to buy more.  Does this make us a little more selfish?  On the surface, I would say, "No," but there seems to be less of an attitude of sharing than in the past.  I could be totally wrong.  Hopefully, I am.

            Regardless, joyfully sharing with your neighbor in a pinch is a good way to express love and kindness.  Not only will that family be touched in a positive way, but yours will be, too.