Those sure are some NICE habits

A couple of years ago, I participated in a "Pay It Forward" day. I can't remember what the source of inspiration was, but it was an organized thing. I read about how one person paid for the coffee for the person behind them in the Starbucks line and then the next person did the same thing and the next person...and so on, until something like 300 (or more?) people paid for coffee for the person coming after them. It was started by just one person and people got into the spirit very quickly. I can't remember exactly what I did, but I think I did it for longer than one day. Then...busy life took over with the kids and what not and... well, I would like to think that I do nice things on a regular basis, but with a deliberate intent? I believe that's a different thing.

Today was Monday. Mondays mean something more now in our household, because Ben and Lily have started kindergarten and it is the start of a week when we have to get out of the house early, early, early and go, go, go. I have to say that I have had a case of the "Mondays" for the last couple of weeks. I have to psych myself up for this whole thing that feels like a race to nowhere sometimes.

What to do to make it better? How about doing one nice thing? Today I got a call from my babysitter's mother. My babysitter was scheduled to come over tomorrow afternoon to watch the kids while I had a lunch meeting. However, her husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 renal cancer several months ago, has been in the hospital for a week or so now and she just got a call to head back to the hospital because "he's not doing well." She likely won't be making it to our house to babysit tomorrow. This man is 42 years old. 42!!! Being a cancer survivor myself, I know how tough it is to have cancer as a young adult (I was 28). And to have a spouse that is sick is almost harder, in some ways. After all, caregivers get very little breaks from all the stress. There is no time for themsleves. In a way, this babysitting afternoon was not so much scheduled because I need it (I could have asked my mom), but because SHE needs it. Being a caregiver is SO tough. I was looking forward to Ava telling her beloved babysitter "I love you. Will you swing me. Push me in the back, please. Push me super high!" Since I can't give her that...what can I do for her?

I looked through the book Do One Nice Thing by Debbie Tenzer today, searching for something to do for my babysitter, my friend. I came across something that I have been meaning to do FOREVER. I signed up to be an organ donor. I think I may have the sticker on my drivers license, but I wanted to be sure that I made my wishes clear and that I notified my family about it. So I headed over to www.DonateLife.net and got it done. I have no idea if my organs would even be "good" - I can't be a blood donor, for instance, since I have had a blood cancer, chemotherapy and the rest of it. But why not? Maybe it will benefit someone, somewhere, sometime. 

I have been working on habits in my household and in my life lately a lot. Laundry habits, paper clutter habits, homework habits. Do one nice each week sounds like a nice habit to get into. Ideas are plentiful when I just look around.

My thoughts are with my babysitter tonight especially. We love you! Come over and play ANYTIME you need a break and a few "I love you's."

This post was inspired by the book Do One Nice Thing by Debbie Tenzer and is part of Silicon Valley Moms Group's September book club for this book. You can read more posts for the book club here.