Not So Random Acts Of Kindness

Up until just a few months ago, I have lived my entire life in or within a few mile radius of Akron, Ohio.  Most of the people that I know have also lived their entire lives in that same area.  I know, or at least am acquainted with, many good people with big hearts that have always been kind, caring, compassionate and generous with not only us, but anyone else they come in contact with.  But working in the public venue for most of my adult life I have also come into contact with just as many, if not more, selfish, rude and impolite people.  Here's where I'm going with this... in the few short months of living here in these beautiful mountains, I have witnessed more of what most people would call "random acts of kindness" than I have in the past few years of living in Ohio. As a matter of fact, I would even be tempted to retitle them Common Acts of Kindness.   Some are so touching that they will bring a tear to your eye.  Some are actually kind of comical.  One of the funnier ones that we were witness to happened just yesterday in the parking lot of our local Walmart.  We were waiting behind a car to turn down an aisle to find a parking space.  The car was sitting still for what seemed an extra long amount of time waiting to make its left turn.  As there were no cars coming the opposite direction, Mountain Man and I began looking around to see what the holdup could be.  There, standing at the end of the row of cars, was an elderly gentleman with a cane.  You could tell by the way that he was standing that to walk was a chore for him.  We realized that the lady in the car ahead of us was waiting and waving him across the crosswalk in front of her.  After two waves and no movement on his part, she rolled down her window and kindly told the gentleman that she was waving him across and he was free to go.  He then told her, I understand that, but I'm not crossing, just waiting here for someone!  It brought to mind the old show Laugh In where the boy scout would pick up Ruth Buzzy, who was dressed as an old lady, and carry her across the street when she didn't want to go and she would end up beating him with her purse.  This instance wasn't as animated or as violent for that matter, but still made us giggle.  We have witnessed and been a part of so many acts of kindness here that there are just too many to mention.

On Friday of this week, Mountain Man was invited by one of our new friends to go with him to check out the hunting grounds in our area.  Always up for a hunting adventure, Mountain Man gladly took him up on his offer.  After a good four or five hours, they returned to our house to fill me in on their adventures. Expecting only to hear about the trails they found and the animals that they saw, I was only slightly excited to hear the tales they had to tell.  Well, I couldn't have been more wrong.  The tale that they had to tell was about one of the most emotional acts of kindness that I have ever heard.  You see, our new friend is of Cherokee decent.  He was raised not to be proud of his heritage, but to not acknowledge that part of who he is.  Therefore his children were also not raised to be a proud descendant of the native people.  A few years ago, after learning much about his descendants and his heritage, he decided that he would like to have a statue erected in Meeks Park,  our local community park, to honor the tribes of our area.  He started a small fundraising campaign to obtain the $32,000 that it will cost for the statue to be commissioned.  It will be sculpted by Daniel Horse Chief,  who is of Cherokee, Pawnee decent and is from Oklahoma. This started out for our friend to be a tribute to his people who were not only stripped of their land, but also of their lives, to acknowledge that this is their home.  This plan seemed to take on a life of its own.  It has now gone way past the statue.  Our friend is now waiting to be able to meet with the congressmen from here in Georgia to get approval from the federal government to officially welcome the tribes back to their original homes here in the four county area of the North Georgia Mountains.  This might not sound like a big deal, but it would be the first time in our country's history that the native people have been officially welcomed back to the land that was stolen from them so long ago.  In case you are wondering, this has nothing to do with the so called "Indian Casinos".  This would be a much more personal welcome.  No one thinks that there will be a mass exodus of the tribes that were displaced to Oklahoma back here to Georgia.  After all, the people have lives and careers and homes where they reside now.  What it will do is to open our communities and towns to anyone who would be interested in relocating, opening businesses and making a life in their true native land.  There would be help set up to assist these people in reestablishing a life here in their mountains.  

Mountain Man and I have always felt a strong connection to the native tribes. I'm not sure if it is just from our history lessons or if we were part of these tribes in another lifetime.  Either way, I feel that this act is long overdue. Mountain Man and I feel blessed to have a friend that has sacrificed so much of his heart, time and not to mention personal funds, to extend this kindness to the most deserving of people.

If you are interested in learning more about this endeavor, please check out the webpage at We Are Still Here.  It is a little outdated since it has taken longer to raise the funds and obtain the meetings that need to take place to make to make this happen.  And until next week, let's all go out and commit some acts of kindness!