Random Acts Of Kindness

I wrote this posting last June;
Sadly our client passed away this week.




6/15/08
I made a sales call at a small home in Palm Harbor the other day.

A very sweet older woman who lives alone needed some type of film to block the UV because she said she was diagnosed with a skin condition. I heard her words but I could easily read her silent fear behind the words. I moved toward the windows and measured the few windows that she had and taking out my trusty calculator, I noodled the square footage and advised her of how much it would be to do the windows she had pointed out.

She paused and asked me how much more it would cost to do the sliders in the living room? I did a fast estimate and advised her of that additional cost.

She sat down and said she'd do the first set of windows since she didn't have the money to do the sliders.

I felt something pulling at me deep inside, and I simply told her I would do the sliders for free.

She asked me why I would offer that to her and I quietly told her that it was my gift to her, my chance at a small amount of redemption and something that was more instinctive than anything else. .I wanted simply to bring her some happiness.

She started crying and told me that in fact her condition was much worse than she had originally told me. .I held her hand..and I'll admit I cried for her, or was it for myself?

This can be a brutal calling. Daily competing, hurried scheduling, decisions about spending or follow up, yes candidly fixing as quickly as possible some installer error so my clients are delighted.

Window Film dealers understand what I am referring to, they understand the pressures and the responsibility toward their employees and customers.

But. .

We have the chance to help others. To do the right thing, the difficult thing.

It truly is better to give than to receive.

No it doesn't balance out all of my past indiscretions, to be sure.

But for one moment sitting in a stranger's living room holding her hand, I was redeemed.

I highly recommend just how spiritually gratifying this can be.

Try it sometime, you might be surprised.

PS: We installed UV Shield on her car yesterday and she was thrilled!

Posted by Mike Feldman at 3/4/2009 12:41 PM
Categories: Consulting Coaching
Tags: helping hand
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