Vogt’s Notes: Brighten your life with random acts of kindness

A warning to my readers: My mood is not good. My family would use the words “crabby,” “grizzly bear,” “worm” or worse.

What’s feeding this mood?

• I am tired of seeing continually rising gas prices day after day and more and more talk of a recession. (My husband filled his pickup truck and the pump shut off at $136. While we are blessed to be able to own a nice pickup truck, we can’t afford that!)
• I hate that nearly every single day I am hearing of mass shootings across our country, whether they be at schools, grocery stores, medical clinics, bars, anywhere. Stop this ridiculousness!
• I’m somewhat disgusted with our state and national political leaders who seemingly are not accomplishing much for we the people.
• I am sadder than usual because I feel so powerless over what a best friend is going through with brain cancer, and her husband as well. Why do I know of so many people with glioblastoma - a most aggressive brain cancer - lately?

I warned you about my mood. But I hope you continue reading because I want to share a positive and heartwarming story in the midst of our world’s turmoil.
May 26 marked the three-year anniversary of my now son-in-law’s motorcycle accident where he suffered a traumatic brain injury and other injuries. At Christmastime in 2020 and 2021, he along with his mom and my daughter brought meat and cheese trays to the intensive care unit at the hospital that treated him so well - not only saving his life, but helping him to have quality of life.

This year they made that delivery on the anniversary day of his accident. It was a Thursday. Of course, I was beyond busy with work.

At the last minute, I decided to drop what I was doing and invited myself to tag along with them. It wasn’t an all-day endeavor, and I desperately needed the break from work.

What a great decision that turned out to be.

The four of us marched into the hospital with the goodies and rang the buzzer at the ICU entrance. We were asked what patient we were there to see, and we said we were there to make a delivery.

“Oh, how nice,” the person said.

It turns out this person remembered my son-in-law and those who literally stuck by his side during the time he fought for his life in the ICU.

Then a nurse walked by, and he stopped and said, “Hey, I remember you. I helped you get out of bed and stand for the first time.”

These health care people remembered what room my son-in-law was in. They were so happy to see his progress, saying they don’t often - if ever - get to see that once their patients get out of the ICU.

This little jaunt was so much more emotional for me than I realized it would be. I felt so good.

I encourage all of us to do random acts of kindness like this. Reach out to people who have helped you along the way, especially those who would least expect it.

So much in our world is a mess right now. But there is so much good too. We can all make it that much better with a small act of kindness.

I’ll leave you with a quote I came across at The Skillet in Brainerd over the weekend that sums up my thoughts perfectly: “Live simply and be grateful.”

Now I have a quick favor to ask. We recently added a poll question to our website - www.pineandlakes.com . Please visit our site, scroll down to the obituaries and find our weekly poll question on the right.

Then answer it!

That would do wonders to help improve my mood.

Nancy Vogt, editor, may be reached at 218-855-5877 or nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Nancy.