Episode 120: Kindness Counts

For Perry and me, 2024 was a difficult year. Our beloved niece died of metastatic breast cancer, a friend of Perry's died, and our darling, eccentric Boston Terrier Elwood also died, all in the same weekend. Naturally, losing a dog is not on the same level as losing people, but losing all at the same time was a crushing blow much harder to bear. All were too young to die.

The entire year was dreary for us, but a one-week river cruise on the Columbia River I was able to take with a friend who had been ill was wonderful. Can't wait to go again.

The people who work in animal rescue are the kindest of all. They devote their lives to taking in lost, abandoned and abused animals. They then work to restore them to health so they can join families like ours. We were able to adopt a Pekingese, Della, and a Boston Terrier Abby. Having good-natured dogs in the house makes a huge difference to our moods, adding comedy and love

Della, adopted from Potomac Valley Pekes.

Abby, adopted from the Boston Terrier rescue group in Virginia.

In the fall, Perry developed a very painful problem in his hip. I took him to see my surgeon who saw immediately on the x-ray that the right hip was bone on bone, all of the protective padding gone. Even I could see this. The problem was pretty clear. Anyway, Perry has hip replacement surgery in February.

We have fine neighbors and caught up to them at a holiday party. We were greeted by many offers of help and were grateful we didn't have to take them up on their generous offers. The one thing Perry complained about most was not being able to walk the dogs, something he and they enjoy a lot.

We were surprised that two neighbors offered to walk the dogs. One already wins the kindest person award and routinely walks four dogs at a time. The other neighbors came around and walked Abby and Della. We expected this to be a one time thing, but they've come nearly every day. It's a kindness that touches all of us.

Finally, we've known Tony for 20 years. Every Christmas we give him a generous tip. By day he's a construction worker and twice a week works at a restaurant we frequent. He said he wanted to stop by the house one afternoon. It was closer to 6:00 by the time he arrived, his family in tow: his wife, his two darling young daughters and his son, 14-year-old Alan. Alan had his violin case with him and proceeded to give us a Christmas concert, playing carols for us, with recorded background music. It was lovely and kind that Tony brought his whole family for the concert.

Kindness 101: make time for others; you may not know what they are going through. Sometimes someone may need a little company, a bit of advice in a difficult time, a meal cooked or a quick errand run.

Kindness works both ways. When you extend an act of kindness, it will shine back on you.