Indre Kisonas
You know those moments when your heart fills and you feel gratitude? When you’ve received a smile or heard a compliment or witnessed a lovely interaction between siblings, or grandparent and grandchild? People are lovely and I would like to say thank you to all you big hearted people.
There was a recent post on our local community Facebook page from a person new to town. It was a shout out for friends and blow me down, the responses were lovely – ranging from “welcome to town” to “I’d love to make a new friend” and “I’m new too”.
Now, having been rather self reliant I feel like an old dog learning a new trick. I’m learning that you only have to ask. It doesn’t matter what the request is. Perhaps it’s for help moving house, a recommendation, volunteer hours or a coffee with a chat. The worst that can happen is that you’d get a big fat NO but deep down (most) people are kind and generous.
A recent example for me was when I asked to hire a person with a trailer to help me move some furniture but the particular person was booked up in the time I had suggested. He amazingly offered the use of his trailer to help me. For nothing! I didn’t know this person and had never met him but out of kindness and generosity he made me an amazing offer of help. I felt gratitude for his kindness, which has a way of paying it forward for another.
“Community is Everything” is a photo of a pavement in town. Has anyone else spotted it? (Photo: Indre Kisonas)
The Good Grub Club for example, has a host of volunteers and donators helping feed, support and bring together those who need them. Our community Op Shop falls into this category too. Selfless people doing selfless things for those that most need a boost and a comfort.
Community is built on volunteers and those who give of themselves. Tending, nurturing, caring and providing space. Included here is the community garden with it’s donation cart that sits out front. Sometimes neglected but sometimes a real busy bee, the garden provides an opportunity for socialising and purpose. The donation cart not only holds produce from the garden to share but often holds donations of tinned food, hygiene products and collectables that could become some lucky persons treasure.
There are many well deserving people and groups that deserve a mention (Men’s Shed springs to mind, sporting clubs and rescue services) but the last shout out goes to the ones who create and leave the love rocks. What a pleasant surprise it is when a love rock is discovered in an obtuse spot, usually giving just the perfect message for the one who has discovered it. By continuing the circuit and re-hiding the love rock in a new position for another lucky person to find, the love messages keep on giving time and time again.
So as the love rock messages say: smile, hug, feel loved, feel the sun on your face and know that there is always love and support out there. You just have to be brave and ask because people really are beautiful souls.
Indre Kisonas is a Daylesford resident and the owner and principal designer of iok design. She specialises in colour & interior design.
