Have you ever had one of those days (or weeks) which just seems to be one knock after another from life, only to have someone step in and turn everything around? Gifted Girlfriend Guru Rachel Awes shares her story of random kindness and her wonderful art depicting that day.

This is a story about the power of a girlfriend’s kindness. This is also an invitation to keep it going. Let’s be on the lookout to see how we can step in and love each other.

I was a bit behind in pulling together holiday cards to send out. Gathering and updating addresses for the dear envelopes. Drawing little berry branches on each. Stuffing with letters. In between all the rest of life. Like we all do.  I just missed the mail pick-up time on Saturday. Then revised my plan to send this well-intentioned pile on Monday. Along with a print order I had so wonderfully received through my online Etsy shop. Actually, I had already mailed this print last week to a beautiful woman in Tennessee. Despite the envelope being marked with “DO NOT BEND,” her postal carrier bent it in half and stuffed it in her mailbox.  So I need to send it to her again.  Also, I’ve been down with some bug all week. My energy has gone on vacation.  So has a sense of neat order and time.

Then came Monday morning. I got to the post office first thing. Only to be behind 20 people and one worker behind the counter. Everyone was talking about how they thought they would be smart and get there early. So now I could be counted among the line of the smarties. Which has it’s own value to be sure.

After only a couple minutes, love stepped in line. The story was about to change. It was my friend Nancy, pulling her dolly of packages. After a welcomed embrace, she told me I must have better things to do with my morning and took all my envelopes from me. Her eyes twinkled as she stood in all her capacity, balancing her coffee mug, packages, and now my various sizes of envelopes. One more hug was in order and ever so quickly, I was off and on my way. Order and time restored. As well as my heart. Just like that.

Kindness changes everything. It seems I needed all these experiences to lead me to such a line. To such a hug from such a girlfriend. To such a valentine.  I am deeply grateful.

RACHEL AWES is a psychologist, art playgroundist, writer, wife, mother & friend, who loves listening to the beauty in people. You can find her art at http://rachelawes.etsy.com and her blog at http://allididwaslisten.blogspot.com.

What about you girlfriend? What wonderful things have you done that have been a welcome act of kindness? What beautiful thing has someone done for you that turned your entire day around? We want to hear your stories!

THANKS Rachel! We love you and your appreciation of girlfriends – and your fabulous art!

And, by the way, we LOVE guest blogs here at Girlfriendology. Have a great girlfriend story to tell? Want to celebrate your fabulous female friends? SHARE! (And, we also have Girlfriend Gurus – check that out to be featured on Girlfriendology!)

And check out Rachel’s other FABULOUS blogs (and her gorgeous art):

• A Year of Great Girlfriend Intentions – A great year of friends and friendships
• The Art of Girlfriends – how friends inspire us (& we inspire friends, like Rachel does)
• Playdates with Girlfriends – great things to plan in 2012!
• Girlfriend Love Letters – write one to your BFFs!
• Girlfriend Gift Ideas - creative ways to show your friendship

Tags: acts of kindness, art by rachel, artist, crowded post office, etsy, friendship, girlfriend guru, girlfriends, guest blog, love stepped in, Rachel Awes, Valentine

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 8:28 am and is filed under Be a Better FRIEND, Girlfriend Gurus, thankful for girlfriends. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.