Donuts + Admiration + Thanks = Kindness

It was nearly six years ago when my dog Murph was waking us up early with whining, since I was pregnant, and it was probably 15 minutes since the last time I went to the bathroom, that’s right where I headed. Looking out the window I saw and smelled smoke, I started yelling to the husband and then the doorbell was ringing, “Norm, I think someone’s house is on fire!” only to hear the response from him, “Get the dogs, it’s our house!”

I called 911 with our information and after that I was in panic mode, losing our house right before having a baby, I couldn’t even think about it. Norm thought he would go out and try to handle the situation but the flames now about 8 feet and growing, it wasn’t a job to be handled without professional help. I grabbed the dogs and my laptop full of all our photos and ran out. With the temperature at a whopping minus-four degrees, it was like a slap to the face and it all really set in.  Within eight minutes of the call the air was full of sirens and our street was covered with 27 fire-associated vehicles and fire personnel wielding axes and hoses and more. Our back deck and hot tub were blazing, and if it wasn’t for them coming so quickly and handling the fire with such ease, it would have spread to our home.

As I have been doing my acts of kindness, I thought there is never enough that I could do to thank all the people that saved our home that day. Being that today was the kickoff of the weekend and sometimes a little sweet in the morning can work wonders, I brought some donuts to the station that was the first dispatched to our home that cold winter morning. Everyday firefighters put their lives on the line so others lives can go on. Their families are the ones that have to worry every time they go on a call that it could be their last. The ultimate act of kindness.  While our fire wasn’t one that destroyed everything we own, it was hard to know that if it wasn’t for our whiny dog, our alert neighbor and the prompt response of the fire department we would have been in a horrible situation. Donuts don’t go very far but I hope my admiration and thanks goes out to them. Maybe a little smile for finding a cream filled sweet to make their morning.

Cheers to all the firefighters out there making our lives safe! Go out and spread some kindness this weekend! I know I will!