Day 17: Impact

Last week I was asked if I could make a meal for a new Mom.  I had never met her, but her story touched me.  Her husband and her were expecting a baby boy, but he was born at 26 weeks back in September.  From my understanding he weighed very little, and the mothers life was in jeopardy also.  Her husband came home on emergency leave, and her mother was in town to help out too.  And I don't think she knows many people, if any.  I guess the baby was a fighter and returned home in January so we were finally able to celebrate.

I was more than happy to make a meal!  This is the kind of thing I wish every FRG would do.  I know as a new mother I would be so happy and grateful.  So Jeremy and I make her a meal - meatloaf, potatoes and carrots.  Not much, but we did our best.  And after I picked up Mikey from school, we headed over to drop it off. 

I knock on the door and she answers, knowing that I was coming. She didn't say Hi.  I ask her a few questions with no response.  As I hand over the food she asks what it is.  So I told her, and she just huffs and says "Ugh, I had that yesterday". I apologised profusely because I really wanted her to be happy. So she just shuts the door without saying thank you.

I was pretty hurt for all of 3 seconds until I became somewhat angry. How hard is it to say thank you and be gracious? She could have said, "Oh, I had that yesterday, but I could freeze it and have it another time.  Thank you."  She could have even just kept it to herself and just said "thank you". Why did she make me feel bad? I can understand that she was thinking 'meatloaf again', but she didn't need to be rude.

So that's my impact. I can't let the rudeness of one person put me off.  I'll brush myself off knowing that there are polite, grateful people all over the world who would have appreciated what I did.  I don't need people telling me that I am wonderful, thoughtful, that I'm amazing.  But it would have been nice to be thanked. So I'm going to continue to do acts of kindness for others, model that for my kids.  I'm going to expect manners from my children, and teach my children to give back.  And I hope that there are many parents around the world who expect the same thing from their kids.