Many of you don’t know this about me but outside of writing, I am an advocate for children and adults with Cerebral Palsy.
In March of this year, I started working closely with two other advocates. To be truthful, when I first found them I was so nervous to throw myself out there- the questions I kept asking myself over and over: Are they going to like me? How am I going to be treated?
Well, looking back now, I’m kicking myself for being so nervous and asking those questions because both of them and the team have treated me with so much love and respect. They share mostly all of my work and say some pretty great things about all of the things I write- and for that, I’m thankful 100x- I knew from then on I had found my CP family.
You heard me say, team and family, I know what you’re thinking, “what do they call this team”? Can you really feel like family if you decided to get on board?” To answer both your questions, they call the team CP Dream Team and we are definitely like a family, so yes if you wanted to get involved you will truly feel like part of a family. And the advocates make sure we always stick together.
Every year, shirts with 250 names to represent the entire team are sold. I decided to buy one for the first time this year. Little did I know when I ordered I didn’t pay attention to the final total, $60.00. The total for one was 30 I was questioning it, but I thought ok maybe it costs 30 more dollars to ship or something –no big deal.
When my order finally came, my dad looked at the package curiously. When I looked over at him, I saw the puzzled look on his face.
“What’s the matter dad,” I asked
He replied, “Nothing. But the package says there are two medium black shirts inside.
Silence.
“Two???” I thought “I didn’t order two.”
Maybe that’s why it cost so much…..
I wanted to keep the shirt at first- but I decided to do something else.
I decided to donate it to someone on the team.
So I messaged one of the founders and told her the mistake that happened with my order, and explained what I wanted to do with the extra one. She thought that was a great Idea and said that she would help me find someone to donate it to. Not even an hour later she messaged me back with good news, she had found someone
She explained that it was a mom and her daughter. The daughter had just had surgery, and all of the mom’s money that she saved for a shirt had to go to medical bills and expenses. I was also informed that the mom ALWAYS orders a shirt every year, and this year, because of her daughter’s surgery, she couldn’t afford one this year and was super disappointed. So the lucky person to get that shirt happened to be her.
So I sent the shirt in a package, included a special note and picture of myself. The mother received the surprise a few days later and I was crying because of how happy she was. I was crying because she and her daughter would be able to celebrate World CP Day with the rest of us this year.
The mom came to me through Facebook and told me the shirt I donated it her made her whole day and year. Hearing that directly to my face and coming from the recipient herself let me know I did something good for someone else.
And it made me feel so good.
My lesson for all of you today, a small act of kindness can not only make you feel good about yourself, it can make that person’s day. Do some good every day. Whether it’s waving, smiling or helping someone. YOU can be the sunshine or rainbow in someone’s cloud. All you need to do is an act of kindness- it’s that simple.
