One Small Act and the Joy it Brings

Hey Friends and Family!! It’s nearly time for Christmas. It is crazy to think that Christmas is in 3 days. I made it safely to Montana and I am enjoying some much needed time with my parents and siblings. I love being home.

As you know last weekend I was busy getting my Christmas baking done for work employees and friends and family. On Monday I brought the goodies into work to hand out to those I work with. I never do this because I expect something in return, but because I love baking and love giving.

One of our employees has Down Syndrome. He is so precious and really makes my job so much more exciting and fun. He is on a special diet and can’t eat gluten. So you can imagine how hard and annoying it is for him when this time of year rolls around. Work parties offer little treats, if any for him to enjoy. Everyone is taking home great treats and bringing in cookies or breads to share, but my poor friend can’t enjoy any of it.

I wanted him to have something he could eat and take home when everyone else was enjoying their bounty. So I made some GF and vegan versions of the same cookies and breads for him. I wasn’t going out of my way since I have family members with gluten intolerance’s and friends on certain diets.

I wasn’t expecting the reaction he gave me when I told him I had a surprise for him. He replied “Oh really, what’s that.” I told him how I baked some Christmas treats that he could eat, because they were gluten free. His eyes, no joke, light up. He said “Really?!” I assured him they were safe and just for him. He literally spent the next hours at work telling everyone about the treats I made, and how this was “The best day of his life.”

He called his mom as well telling her “Mom you’ll never guess what just happened. It’s the best day!! I got cookies and treats today. And guess what mom, you what to know the best part? They are even gluten free……Yep really mom, and just for me.”

It brought so much joy to see how one little small act met to someone else. It wasn’t as if I did something amazing or big in my own eyes, but to him it meant the world. One small act can literally change a person’s whole day.

It melted my heart to see how treasured the treats were to him. I loved seeing his joy. Something we tend to find commonplace was out of the ordinary for him. Holiday treats are made all the time for others, but rarely do we react in such a way. I think of how appreciative he was for just some cookies and pumpkin cinnamon bread.

He couldn’t transfer them home that night. So he made me label them with his name. He put them in his mailbox with a note that read “Darby’s cokies glutin free. DONT EAT!!” I smiled when I read his note. I kept reassuring “NO ONE” would eat them. He guarded those treats like they were treasure.

I wish I had the same outlook on life. Finding joy in small acts is something we all need to do more often. Whether it’s a little note from an old friend or a cookie we receive. This wasn’t a small act for him. It has brightened his whole week. Even before I left work on Friday he was still talking about it, and thanking me. Seriously so precious!!

Your simple “small” act may be the game changer in someone’s life. It could be the act that brightens their day or even week. Something we find easy to do or we may even feel is our duty, can actually fill someone’s day with more joy.

I challenge you to do one small act of kindness for anyone and watch for the joy it brings. I didn’t do it receive anything in return, but I did. I received joy but watching his joy. It made my day brighter as well, because my “small” act was a blessing.