Kindness at The Pig

A few days ago I was engaged in what many would call the unenviable activity of grocery shopping. I say unenviable because most people I know seem to detest this task. While it doesn’t rise to the top of my favorite things to do I don’t really mind it. Blessed with pretty good organizational skills I am an efficient shopper. I do 95% of our grocery shopping at The Pig because I believe in shopping locally, the store is just around the corner from my house, and because Jason & Angie are very generous to our community. My prime time for grocery shopping is 7 am. on Sunday morning. The place is nearly deserted then so I can cruise through the aisles easily. However, the day I am writing about here was last Thursday and other obligations prevented me from making it to The Pig until late morning. Very quickly I remembered why I like shopping early on Sunday mornings. The store was pretty full and was becoming more so by the minute.

I have long been an observer and student of human behavior and this day was no exception. While filling my cart I was also theorizing about my fellow shoppers – their age, were they stocking up for Thanksgiving, were they expecting family, why were they there at that time of the day, did I know them, were they enjoying themselves, were they frustrated or at peace, and stuff like that. It’s just how my mind works. I was also a bit more philosophical and realized that while I only knew a few of them, nearly all were likely my fellow Miltonites – my neighbors as it were. I greet most shoppers and make conversational comments to them. Most respond, often with surprise and seeming pleasure. Some not so much.

On this Thursday I particularly noticed a rather short lady whom I would have guessed to be somewhat older than me. I’m an aging baby boomer but I’m pretty sure she had some years on me. She seemed a bit overwhelmed by the plethora of choices and the high activity level of the store. Additionally her smaller stature made it challenging for her to even see let alone select items from the upper shelves. This concerned me considerably until I noticed that accompanying her was someone I knew. He was gently and kindly helping her make selections – reaching things for her, reading labels to her, checking prices, patiently clarifying things like did she want the finely grated cheese or the more coarsely grated, putting items in her cart but all the time maintaining a sort-of distance that provided her with a modicum of independence. He didn’t hover or cling or rush her along but, clearly, she would have been lost without him or someone. Now this gentleman helper, who is well known in Milton, may have been serving as a caregiver for a family member or a neighbor, or maybe he was just being the kindly, caring, giving person many of us know him to be. Whichever the case, BOB JOHNSON, you impressed and inspired me. Thanks for being you and for inspiring me to be better.

Have a kindly Thanksgiving!

Seeking But Not Finding Until It Nearly Hits You In The Head

Ever have those times when you’ve been trying really hard to find something but it remains elusive? You know in your heart and soul that it is there but, for whatever reason, you are blind to it. And then, out of the blue, it comes into sharp focus and becomes so clear you wonder where your head has been. This occurs periodically in my search for kindness and happened a few weeks ago as I stepped out of my van to run into the Pig for some groceries.

Some movement caught my eye and there in front of the pharmacy I saw something which nearly brought tears to my eyes. A car was parked in the special needs stall and there was this man in a white clinical jacket leaning in the driver’s window. Then he took something (prescription bottle I believe) from the driver, turned and went into the pharmacy. Of course you know who it is, Milton’s own pharmacist, Rick Mullen.

WOW! How often in this world of ours do you see this level of service and kindness? Sadly very seldom. The pharmacist, not a tech, not a receptionist, but the pharmacist, comes to the parking lot to speak with a customer with physical issues which prevented easily getting into the pharmacy and then back to the car. In our world of often abysmal retail service, what I witnessed was incredible.

However, if you know Rick, you know that this is who he is. As I mulled this over, I remembered all the little acts of kindness Pharmacist Rick has extended to me over the years. Not only that, his staff behaves in the same way. Hmm, I wonder where they learned this. On occasion, I need to deal with a larger, chain type pharmacy. I am usually treated adequately but I don’t feel cared for like I do with Rick and his staff. Thank you, Rick and your Mercy Milton Pharmacy Partners for being a beacon of caring and kindness in our everyday lives. You inspire the rest of us to kick our game up a notch.

#KINDNESS#WAM

Twas A Kindly Day In The Neighborhood

Last Tuesday, I became involved in an incident that played out in my neighborhood, an area which I fondly refer to as the Milton College Historic Neighborhood.  It’s a great neighborhood, rich with history and filled with great people who care and watch out for each other.

While it would not be appropriate for me to share all of the details of what occurred, there are some people who clearly need to be recognized for their part in turning what could have been a very negative situation or even a tragedy into something far better and heartwarming.

Kim Krause was an initial player.  Her compassion and caring for others began this story on the right track.  Susan Probst & Tim Schigur come next exhibiting their professional expertise & skill in providing unconditional positive regard for an unknown person who unexpectedly crossed their path.

As a neighborhood person who just happened to be there I moved the scene to the Tasty Bites restaurant which turned out to be a good place to land as, of course, they have food & coffee.  If you haven’t been there, you should give them a try.  They are great contributors to the community and were extremely gracious & empathetic as this little slice of life continued in one of their booths.  While sharing breakfast & chatting with the main character of this story I initiated some calls to seek out resources for him

The person who answered the phone at Gifts Men’s Shelter was extremely helpful.  Rock County Crisis Intervention, particularly Sarah with whom I spoke, was amazing. While I don’t have his name, the gentleman on the phone at Rock County Communications was so calming & professional.  Milton Officer Ryan Spangler was the epitome of professionalism, caring, and concern.

This story ended with a remarkably good ending.  But, in a way, this ending was just a beginning, especially for the family and individuals closely involved with the main character’s life.  But the take away here is when we care about each other – choosing kindness,  life goes up a notch for all of us.

Those mentioned above make me so proud to live in Milton.  Their caring, concern, and practical help was over the top.  They chose kindness rather than a cold shoulder. They stepped up rather than stepping back. They were proactive rather than being frozen in place by apathy.    Thank you to all of these players.

#KINDNESS#WAM