Controversial Kindness

Day 118

The day started with great anticipation as it was, of course, Give Flowers to a Stranger Day. I bought a bunch of Gerber daisies first thing in the morning, and brought them into work, not yet sure who the recipient would be. One of my co-workers, a sometimes blog follower with knowledge of GFTAS Day, noticed and asked who would be getting them. I said I wasn't sure, that I didn't have a plan just yet. I felt confident I would meet a deserving stranger as the day progressed.

Later in the morning my boss (not a follower of the blog and therefore unaware of today's holiday status) stopped by my office and commented how beautiful the flowers were, that Gerber daisies were one of her favorite flowers. Hmm, not a stranger, but should it be her?

A bit later an email exchange ensued between my boss, another co-worker, and me regarding a meeting scheduled later in the week, one that my boss had apparently forgotten about. I speculated (jokingly, which is usually a bad idea in email) that perhaps that this memory lapse could be connected to her advancing age. The co-worker (a regular blog follower) commented that this was an rather unkind remark for a person who writes about being kind. My boss countered that perhaps an act of kindness could right the wrong and provide some balance.

And so it was meant to be. My boss became the recipient of the flowers.

On my way out at the end of the day the sometimes blog follower co-worker asked who received the flowers. When I told her they went to our boss she indicated, not subtley, that she thought this more qualified as an act of kiss a** than an act of kindness.

And so concludes another Give Flowers to a Stranger Day. Sometimes it ain't easy being kind.