An act of kindness

About 3 weeks ago I wrote a post about Covid-19, as one does in 2020. I described the things I really like, like the solidarity, no unexpected visitors (best side-effect of sheltering at home ever), and being a hero by staying home and watching Netflix. 

We all know the downsides, so I won't go into them again, but as an aside I mentioned that wearing a mask for 8 hours straight hurts your ears (which it does, in a surprisingly intense way). 

You know what happened after I made that one small, almost throwaway comment?

One of my readers contacted me and offered to send me some mask extenders she makes herself. Before 2020 these guys didn't even exist as far as I know, but now they are all the rage.

And for good reason: mask extenders are lifesavers. Or, to be more exact (and less dramatic), they are ear-savers. I don't know who came up with that idea, but they deserve to have it patented and to get filthy rich. Like all great ideas, this one is extremely simple, but also extremely effective. It makes all the difference between a shitty shift and a shift that may still be difficult, but the rubbed-off skin behind your ears won't be the reason for it. 

So, Kindra contacted me and asked me if I'd like some. I replied with "yes, please! But let me pay for them!"

Kindra said "absolutely not". She was happy to help and didn't want anything for it. Then I offered to at least pay for shipping, but again, she declined.   

Yesterday, a package with a handwritten note and ten face mask extenders arrived. Kindra gave me so many so I can share them with my co-workers. They are pieces of art! Each one is hand-crocheted, in fun colours and with different, unique buttons. I love them!!

This act of kindness means the world to me. Just imagine: here's a woman who's never met me, living 2,000 miles away, reading a blog post and deciding to offer her skill, time and money to help a stranger. And not just her, but her co-workers as well! No matter how bad this pandemic is, experiences like these make me intensely grateful to be alive, and to live in these times, right now. They make me grateful to live in a world that, despite its ugliness and darkness, also has so much light and hope to offer. 

Kindra has an amazing online business, Alpinecurves. She didn't ask me to promote her business, but it's too good not to! She makes outdoor clothes for active, outdoorsy plus-size women, which is great and very much needed. Women who love to go fishing, hiking, biking, skiing, hunting, or any other imaginable outdoor activity come in all shapes and sizes, but the gear for that apparently does not. 

Kindra found that there is still a need for inclusive outdoorsy clothes, and she founded her business to help fill that need. 

Her products are beautiful! Take a look here.

Dear Kindra, thank you so, so much. You are a beautiful, generous, loving soul, and I'm so happy and thankful that people like you are amongst us. You make the world a better place. 

xoxo Miriam

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