Monthly Archives: March 2012

My untied shoelace changed my life. As I leaned down to re-tie it, I kicked away a few leaves. When I turned my head slightly to look where the leaves had been, I was astonished to see a rubber-banded wad of hundred dollar bills nestled in a little indentation in the muddy ground.

There was no moral dilemma. The money wasn’t mine. It had to be handed in.

A note inserted in the wad read, “This is an ARK, an Act of Random Kindness. Use it wisely.”

I’d been given permission to keep it. I counted the notes. Never before had I held so much. Since retiring, I had a comfortable income from my pension but lacked purpose. I decided what must be done.

The donation to UNICEF for the African famine led to an offer to volunteer. Tomorrow, I fly out to help the relief program. An untied shoelace changed my life.

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I heard someone say something strange, “I’m living the dream, man it’s good.”

I think he was a little weird. How could you be living a dream and why is it only for men? You’d have to be asleep.

My mum tells me I take things literally. I guess that means I think people say what they mean. Mum says he was probably smiling when he said it but I didn’t notice a smile. Mum’s says it’s my “aspburger” autism. I don’t know why burgers or even snakes have anything to do with it.

People should say what they mean.

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It was only ninety-eight cents short. You’d think the bus driver could’ve taken me part way. I trudged through torrential rain.

My mood was growing as dark as the weather. Nothing was going to cheer me.

Wait…

I ran to the source of the sound. A child was being carried along by the water. I could see a violent eddy marking a drain a little further along. The child would be sucked under.

Struggling to the child, I snatched him in my arms and carried him to safety.

It was only ninety-eight cents but it saved a life.

“Good things come in fives?”

My daughter just now five.

“Five fingers and five toes.”

“Is that all?” she asks.

“Three children, two parent’s love.”

From childhood, Alexandra was destined to care for animals. In time, she joined with friends to buy an animal refuge. Her goal was to have it run by like-minded volunteers.

This is how she met Wendy, the name given a young orphaned wombat. Wendy, so young, didn’t have much of a chance of survival. Most didn’t yet Alexandra was determined and spent many sleepless nights.

“This one will survive,” she said as Wendy snuggled up to her.

As is the goal of rescuing wildlife, the time came to release Wendy. For Alexandra, saying goodbye was harder than she thought. Wendy took one look back and was gone.