An idea for everyone on BP.NET

So yesterday I was at the grocery store and I passed by the card section. And I figured I need to tell my Grandma thanks for everything shes done and let her know I appreciate it. I got her a simple card, wrote like 3 sentences, and put it on the dinner table. 10 minutes later she comes out to my room, with tears almost in her eyes saying thank you.

Point I'm trying to get to is that we all need to thank that certain someone who has made, our helped us in some way or another. We also need to realize that not everyone has someone that's there for them. If it wasn't for my Grandma I wouldn't know where I'd be living, or how I'd be as a person. When my Mom and Dad divorced when I was 3, my Mom had no place to go. So, she asked my Grandma and Grandpa if we can stay with them. Well, My Grandpa being the major :cens0r: that he is, he called up child protective services and asked if they can take me and my sister 'cause he didn't want us to live with him. Well, 'cause of my Grandma, I have a roof over my house and so much more. So for only 2.00 for a card and 5-10 minutes of your time, we can make someone know they are appreciated for what they've done.

Awww - now you are going to make me tear up - thanks for that reminder!

I make sure I do that to my Parents alot. If it wasnt for them I couldnt keep snakes!!! and in a fe years when I get my morphs and I breed them I will be buying them a cruise trip and while thhey are away new wood flooring.:D and a few asorted things. But no body tell its our secret.

What a wonderful thought. A simple thank you or even a smile goes much further than we think. Thanks for sharing that with us. I need to do that too. :hug:

That is a great thing to do. Thanks for posting this.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Awww - now you are going to make me tear up - thanks for that reminder!

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Now now no need to cry. :D

That's very sweet.. I try to do that for my mum sometimes. Last week I bought her a dozen longstem roses. I bring my dad dark chocolate sometimes too. :)

It's always a joy to see someone happy because you thought of them.

Aww that is a very sweet thing to do.

My husband and I have a journal and we each take turns to write a quick "love note" or what ever to eachother. It is so nice to have and one day our memories can be passed to our children.
And for my children I love to put a cute I love you type note in their backpack or lunch box here and there. They really seem to enjoy it.

Oh my mom used to do that for me. I always liked getting a little note in my lunch box.

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Originally Posted by lillyorchid

That is a great thing to do. Thanks for posting this.

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Yes it is a wonderful thing to do. In fact, I am going to go to the store and pick up a card for my best friend's mom. She has been there for me through so much and though I had used to shower her with cards, it's been a long while (about 2 years) since we really really spoke.

Thank you so much for the idea!

it's those random acts of love and kindness which create memories of love for others! (and ourselves) https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil.../4/7/heart.gif

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Originally Posted by Sinsation

Aww that is a very sweet thing to do.

My husband and I have a journal and we each take turns to write a quick "love note" or what ever to eachother. It is so nice to have and one day our memories can be passed to our children.
And for my children I love to put a cute I love you type note in their backpack or lunch box here and there. They really seem to enjoy it.

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I like that idea alot. :D

as much as my parents get on my nerves and how they didnt let me keep tarantulas/snakes at first, i gotta admit at least they havent kicked me out of the house for begin 18 and for paying my college tuition.I havent really told them thank you or "i love you" lately but im thankful for having them with me.

What a beautiful post Mike. Your grandmother will treasure that card always I'm sure of it. Sometimes when you parent (or grandparent) a kid it's a lot of work and stress and you always wonder if you are doing it right (and unfortunately never know until it's basically too late). Getting this sort of loving feedback is a wonderful thing and a gesture from you that speaks volumes not only about you as a person but about this lovely woman who raised you. :)

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Originally Posted by Snakeman

as much as my parents get on my nerves and how they didnt let me keep tarantulas/snakes at first, i gotta admit at least they havent kicked me out of the house for begin 18 and for paying my college tuition.I havent really told them thank you or "i love you" lately but im thankful for having them with me.

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i might have to change that...my mom just left me home without taking me to school...on purpose!! and i have a test today for my intermediate algebra class.trust me when you take that class in college,it's no fun and now that i have to miss the test...well at least she cant blame me if i end up failing the class(and it's not the 1st time she leaves me).

grrrr...

mabye she is just trying to make you more indapendent.

yeah a little too independent.since i was a freshman in high school she's been making me more "independent".i've been telling her for a few years now to teach me how to drive so i dont have to deal with this but she hasnt exactly been teaching how to drive.

I used to hide the cheap valentine notes that they sell for kids to pass out at school in all my husband's lunches, his book he was reading. For 3 monthes or more during the Valentine season he would find them in craft projects. He printed little business cards that said "I love you" on them, and did the same back. That tiny little card is such a boost. I love to send a random card out ot various friends.
It's always wonderful to give one or get one. I miss being able to hide those little cheap cards in his lunch.
Wolfy

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

What a beautiful post Mike. Your grandmother will treasure that card always I'm sure of it. Sometimes when you parent (or grandparent) a kid it's a lot of work and stress and you always wonder if you are doing it right (and unfortunately never know until it's basically too late). Getting this sort of loving feedback is a wonderful thing and a gesture from you that speaks volumes not only about you as a person but about this lovely woman who raised you. :)

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Thankfully I'm a very emotionally expressive person. Never guess that with a name like Vomitore huh?! :D But I always go out of my way when it comes to telling people what I feel. About 2-3 years ago I lost my Aunt Michelle. Really put me through a loop when I lost her. Me and her were always close and always were excited to see her. For a long time she was sorta trapped from herself. She had finely sought help and made a total change about herself. I actually cried when she told me that she was being monitored on ritalin 'cause finely the person I knew she was, and was trapped in was finely able to come out. That was the best part since now everyone could love the person I knew she was all along.

I actually sent her a card not too long after she had herself put on medication. I told her how much I loved her and how proud I am of the mother she is, and what a wonderful daughter she has raised. Hell, I think I told her how much I appreciate the person she is, and how much I loved her everytime I saw her.

aww, nice to see that soft side ;)
It to am a Grandma and Grandpa's girl, they raised me from birth because my mother was to young and stupid to step up. Living with them and being close to my grandparents was the best blessing. I meet people all the time who arent close to there grandparents and it make me feel so sad for them.
I also still have my Great Grandmother...another amazing woman I am honored to be related to, I love getting together with all of them and laughing and hugging and just making memories, I try to get pictures of them and video them as much as possible because its those woman who kept me alive to be the mom and woman I am today. (my great grandmother also helped raise me, she would get off from work at her 2nd job and come right home to tend to me and give my grandparents a break...7 days a week she was there)
I also became a huge grandpa's girl, because I didnt have a father. Him and I were partners in crime and would go watch car races, hit the junk yards on the week ends and tinker on old cars in the barn. Sadly, on April 19th 2001 I lost him forever...he commited suicide...something you really dont see coming and cant possibly be ready for. I lost my best friend and father figure that day and have never been the same. If it wasnt for my Grandmother and Great Grandmother still being alive, I know 100% I would of also taken my life just to be with him. I moved from my husband and I's home back to Grandmas, this time it was my turn to care of her...it was nice to return the favor. We cried together and healed together, we still talk about him every chance we get...the tattoo on my right arm says "Forever in my heart Grandfather" in chiness. My grandmother and I went to get tattoos in memory of him together :) I tended to her until I felt she was ready to be alone and finally moved back in with my hubby, it was hard on him and I but I knew that my place was with her at that time. No one was worried about how my strong grandmother would handle it, they all kept asking me how I was doing, and if I would be okay.
I am sad that my daughter will never get to meet him and love him the way I did, he'll just be a picture to her and a story ever so often, but to actually know him and be in his life...well I'm the lucky one.
Ever since then, I make sure to write letters to those 2 woman and tuck them away some where, I love getting a phone call saying "I went to open my purse and found your note" my great grandmother actually puts them in frames :)
The 2nd hardest day was moving away from them, we now live 2 hours away..instead of 30 minutes...2 hours in a car with a toddler can seem like 30 hours so I try and go over every other month to see them. I have to say I miss home still, and when I do make it over I stay for atleast a week or 2.
My grandmother was rushed to the hospital a few weeks ago because she couldnt breath...it doesnt help that she is an 80 pound ball of fire who was pissed about paramedics coming to get her and she wasnt able to hit on them because she was out of breath lol. But I feared I would loose her, I couldnt go over because we had a bad storm and I was really sick and didnt want to make her worst...I cried when I got off the phone and realized...I'm not ready to loose her, I didnt realize I wasnt healed from my grandfathers death and really depend on her for every emotional thing. It snapped me into reality and made me realize I need to be around her more, take even more pictures, remember everything I can, and just love them for as long as I can.

reading all these posts makes me sad.i guess i dont have that "special someone" yet to make me feel special.i was one of those kids in school that "stand out". mainly due to my tarantula keeping.

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Originally Posted by Snakeman

reading all these posts makes me sad.i guess i dont have that "special someone" yet to make me feel special.i was one of those kids in school that "stand out". mainly due to my tarantula keeping.

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Under the circumstance, you do have parents. Me and Aud dont have actual birth parents that are there. It's been almost 12 years since I've last seen my Mom and 4 years since I've seen my Dad.

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Originally Posted by Snakeman

reading all these posts makes me sad.i guess i dont have that "special someone" yet to make me feel special.i was one of those kids in school that "stand out". mainly due to my tarantula keeping.

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But you can take that sadness sweetie and turn it around...become someone's special person yourself. I've always found that in striving to make someone else feel special the wonderful side benefit is you feel a lot better about who you are. Sometimes when you give of yourself to another, it brings goodness back to you many times over. You meet others and connections are made that can echo through your life in a lot of wonderful ways. Mother Teresa says it much better than I ever could....

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless."

Well, I always say that I have faced more tragedy in life then alot of people have, but at the same time I wouldnt want it any other way. Each bad thing brings a whole slew of great things, it might not seem like it at the time but it's there.
I like to think that having the mom I have and the dad whom I have never seen, well make me the awesome parent I am today, flawless? Hell no, but I know what not to do to my child, and I know what I would of liked.
I do have issues from my childhood or lack there of, I carried the baggage along with me and ended up having a worst teenage life, but now I can say I am proud of me. I still dont like who I am, but I think I turned out better then okay.
I dont agree with people who lean on there life and all the bad things like a crutch and blame the way turned out on there past. I could of been a drunk, a drug addict, a bad parent or worst...but it's my choice and I said no to it all. In the end, giving into your past and its issues in my eyes is telling those people that hurt you that they won...I'm to strong willed to let anyone win but me!

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless."

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Id like to plaster these words everywhere. Thanks for sharing them.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

But you can take that sadness sweetie and turn it around...become someone's special person yourself. I've always found that in striving to make someone else feel special the wonderful side benefit is you feel a lot better about who you are. Sometimes when you give of yourself to another, it brings goodness back to you many times over. You meet others and connections are made that can echo through your life in a lot of wonderful ways. Mother Teresa says it much better than I ever could....

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless."

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thanx for that.and you're right, by being nice to other people i do feel good about myself on the inside.like right now im being nice to the other 2 girls that arent having the best teenage life and everytime i talk to them, i feel like someone special.

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Originally Posted by Snakeman

thanx for that.and you're right, by being nice to other people i do feel good about myself on the inside.like right now im being nice to the other 2 girls that arent having the best teenage life and everytime i talk to them, i feel like someone special.

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Exactly! You also have no idea the impact you make by that simple kindness. Maybe one of those girls with the hard life may make a change just because you were kind to her and now she feels she's worth something. It's all about ripples dear. You drop that little stone of kindness and it ripples out, affecting more than you know and touching others along the way that you aren't even aware of. I know that may sound a bit sappy but our world today is so lacking in simple human kindness that we can't even smile sometimes at a stranger.

Example from the other day. I was on a packed city bus. Two older ladies got on. No one got up to give up their seats so I did (I was way down the bus). This made someone else realize that they should to. Then a man further down the bus gave me his seat. See it's all about ripples. It costs me nothing to do a simple kindness and give an older lady a seat...it's how my grandmother taught me to be after all so it's sort of natural to me to do that anyways...no biggie. But it caused a ripple and others woke up and acted nicely too and those two ladies were all smiles because they got to sit comfortably (and at their age they certainly deserve that).

Sometimes we do big things for folks, sometimes we do just little things for folks....just do something. :)

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Exactly! You also have no idea the impact you make by that simple kindness. Maybe one of those girls with the hard life may make a change just because you were kind to her and now she feels she's worth something. It's all about ripples dear. You drop that little stone of kindness and it ripples out, affecting more than you know and touching others along the way that you aren't even aware of. I know that may sound a bit sappy but our world today is so lacking in simple human kindness that we can't even smile sometimes at a stranger.

Example from the other day. I was on a packed city bus. Two older ladies got on. No one got up to give up their seats so I did (I was way down the bus). This made someone else realize that they should to. Then a man further down the bus gave me his seat. See it's all about ripples. It costs me nothing to do a simple kindness and give an older lady a seat...it's how my grandmother taught me to be after all so it's sort of natural to me to do that anyways...no biggie. But it caused a ripple and others woke up and acted nicely too and those two ladies were all smiles because they got to sit comfortably (and at their age they certainly deserve that).

Sometimes we do big things for folks, sometimes we do just little things for folks....just do something. :)

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Couldn't have said it any better!

a worthy topic and wonderful sentiment. Whether it be a hello how are you to someone or a meaningful expression of gratitude or thankfullness its always nice to be nice.

To understand and appreciate your fortunate or unfortunate experiences whether it be carrying on the luck and kindness you recieved or changing life for the better due to neglect or undesirable circumstances ....to live and learn and be a better person regardless is something we should strive for.

It does make you feel better and does have a positive impact on the recipient ...good thread :) and a good reminder.

What an awesome post!
I think that bad experiences in life are tests. It is kind of like how metals can be hardened in fire..
I had a pretty lousy childhood and adolescence; but like Aud was saying, I would not have had things any other way. I would never be where I am right now if it weren't for the events and people (even the worst of the low-lifes among the ones I thought were my friends.) I should be a mental case in an institution now, thinking back to all of the stuff that happened to me; all the near-misses (though I hate that phrase, lol) it is a wonder I am even still alive. Somteimes you really need a big slap in the face to wake up and realize you're killing yourself. For me, it was getting pregnant at age 17 and going through a stillbirth.. add to that, using drugs, sleeping on people's floors, alcohol.. Instead of succombing to all of this, I turned my life around after this incident; I am drug free; I work hard at a fulltime job, am a mama and 90% caretaker to 2 horses and a ton of other pets (LOTS of cleaning for me!) and have an awesome fiancee; life is going in a great direction.. I swear, if you fight your way through and put your head up above those who fall by the wayside, you WILL find a better future; you have to really make it happen though in this world!

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Originally Posted by Ginevive

What an awesome post!
I think that bad experiences in life are tests. It is kind of like how metals can be hardened in fire..
I had a pretty lousy childhood and adolescence; but like Aud was saying, I would not have had things any other way. I would never be where I am right now if it weren't for the events and people (even the worst of the low-lifes among the ones I thought were my friends.) I should be a mental case in an institution now, thinking back to all of the stuff that happened to me; all the near-misses (though I hate that phrase, lol) it is a wonder I am even still alive. Somteimes you really need a big slap in the face to wake up and realize you're killing yourself. For me, it was getting pregnant at age 17 and going through a stillbirth.. add to that, using drugs, sleeping on people's floors, alcohol.. Instead of succombing to all of this, I turned my life around after this incident; I am drug free; I work hard at a fulltime job, am a mama and 90% caretaker to 2 horses and a ton of other pets (LOTS of cleaning for me!) and have an awesome fiancee; life is going in a great direction.. I swear, if you fight your way through and put your head up above those who fall by the wayside, you WILL find a better future; you have to really make it happen though in this world!

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I've been saying the last year or so that everyone has life paths. Life paths are roads our lives take, and on each bend and curver there's a lesson to be learned and a keep sake memory that is good or bad to remember. I never got into drugs or alscohol to the suprise of everyone. I know right and wrong. I know if I hold a plate in the air, and drop it that it will break. So why do it? I'm not in anyway talking about people on here. I'm basing this all on my mom, dad and sister. They are know the outcome of your actions.

So here I am in my room looking at everything I worked for and bought with my own money that I earned. I also think of the people I care for and respect and who respect me in return. I think about my parents and how my mom would purposely OD on pills to sleep for days on end. Or my dad lying continuously to my grandma to get money so he can buy heroin, shoot up in front of me and pass out for hours or a weekend. I think of my sister who is single mother and only the only reason she is a mother is for attention. She is now divorced from a guy she knew for 6 weeks and she works as a stripper and has to deal with things on her own all 'cause she has had multiple chances to clean up her act, but has buried herself into her own hole. I also reflect on the fact I had a terrible junior high experience and was made fun of horribly an dropped out in 8th grade. But I returned to continuation school and graduated with a B average. And without the special people in my life none of this could have been achieved. That's why I left them know that I appreciate them

I spent 10 years on and off being a front line worker in a women's shelter, assisting women and child who were affected by domestic violence. I learned a lot about life there (especially that hurting someone has little to do with fists) but if nothing else I took away one life lesson I'd like to share here.

Sometimes life makes you a victim or you put yourself in a place where you become one either of a situation or of a person. You may have had no choice about being victimized (or you may been unable through the effects of drugs/alchohol to make good choices). The important thing is not that event. The important part is the choice you make afterwards to be a victim or a surivor. Here's a simple definition from Webster's that speaks volumes to me.....

Victim: an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance

Survivor: one who lives through affliction

I don't see any of you in this thread that are "unfortunate" persons. I see a group of people that "lived" through something and yes, were changed by it...but living, striving, failing but getting back up, succeeding or nursing the flame of hope that you will. That folks is your ultimate triumph.

If you remain a victim you remain locked in that place and time. You let that person or set of circumstances continue to win every day that it still affects how you live or how you see the person staring back in the mirror. There is so much grace and power in a survivor, there is so much sadness in a victim. I'm very proud to be a part of a forum with so many of you that show that surviving hell is possible and are strong enough to share their stories in hopes that it might touch one reader and help them on their journey.

what a great thread. random acts of kindness... whether they are words or actions create memories which last a lifetime and beyond...

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Awesome posts, Jo and Vom. I am glad to be on the right side of the coin now. It is much better here. :)