It is so easy to get caught up (or bogged down) in our own busy world. Children, routines, never-ending washing, cooking…as mothers we just get on and do it. But every so often, we witness an act of generosity, kindness or inner strength and for a brief moment, we pause and say “wow”. These are the “wow” moments Sharon Mitchell from Mayday Mummy has experienced recently as she got to know three extraordinary women.
Recently I’ve been thinking about three ordinary – but extraordinary – women. I hope by sharing their stories they lighten your day and remind you there are some amazing women in our community. There are no awards, prizes, or even competitions for these women. They do what they do because they want to and it brings them inner joy and happiness.
Supporting a Romanian orphanage is just the beginning…
Mrs K, of Lane Cove, is financially driven. Not to buy designer clothes, a new car or a nest egg for her retirement. She works hard to financially support a Romanian Orphanage. Additionally, she travels and volunteers at the orphanage for three months every year.
How does this 68-year-old woman do it? What sacrifices does she make to fund this orphanage?
- She lives in a small section of her large family home and rents the rest of the house. The rent puts food on the table for many children in the orphanage.
- She recently started a new job as a carer, assisting local families.
- Every spare hour, she jumps in her car and goes “Uber-ing”
But wait, there’s more. She also volunteers at a homeless shelter in Redfern (Sydney) working 8pm until 8am.
The best neighbour ever, and she’s only 86!
Neighbours – they can cause you grief or help shape your family friendly street. In our case, our neighbour Miss E lives a few houses down our little street and has lived there for many decades. She knows everyone’s name and is like an aunt to many. She attended my daughter’s first birthday party – 16 years ago!
She helps so many people on many levels. She volunteers for many charities and is still actively involved at her old school, Hornsby Girls’ High. She also does something special every Tuesday morning. She brings the garage bins in off the street. Not just hers and perhaps her immediate next door neighbours, but pretty much the entire street!
Miss E is an exceptionally independent, hard-working and active woman. She has never been married, nor has any children. The other day I was just chatting with Miss E whilst she was mowing. She has a large block to mow, approximately 1,200m2. She was saying her “Easy Start” lawn mower was just out of warranty and she was finding it a bit tricky to start….so she dismantled the engine, checked and cleaned the spark plug, and re-assembled. It starts a bit better now, almost like new apparently.
Seriously, this lady and is AMAZING!
What a doctor did at the end of her 12-hour shift
Recently my father was unwell and taken to hospital, just north of Sydney, by ambulance. The doctor treating him at the Emergency Department exceeded all expectations.
It is a very busy department. Doctors and nurses work extremely hard and very long hours. After the initial assessment, this lovely female doctor promptly returned with a heated blanket for my father and also a cup of coffee for my mother.
Over the course of the next nine hours she returned with more coffee for mum and some sandwiches. Her 12 hour shift ended at 11pm, but rather than going home to “crash” she waited with my parents for a further hour, escorted them with the orderly to the surgical ward and then did something truly remarkable.
This caring, compassionate and exhausted doctor, then offered to drive my mother home! She waited whilst my mother said her good-byes and drove her home, waiting until she was safely inside the house.
If Naming and Shaming can hurt a business, I hope the reverse is true…. Anonymous and Praising of individuals – igniting joy and admiration. In other words, I sincerely hope by sharing these stories you feel just a little bit “warm and fuzzy”.
Do you know an everyday hero?
More on everyday heroes…