Winnona's Window: Recognizing Everyday Kindness

Last week I wrote about "coincidences," those little nudges from God that help me make meaning of things and keep a more positive attitude. The best way I know to stay positive is by paying attention, and noticing the goodness that surrounds me every day. A few days ago, while scrolling Facebook, I came across photos of friends out cutting wood. The post explained that several Lions Club members had gathered a group to help a woman haul, cut, and stack firewood. My immediate thought was of my friend, Mike Podborny, because it seems he is always helping someone. The very next day, I stopped by the Eureka Depot to meet someone, and there was Mike. I asked him about the wood cutting project, because I am always on the lookout for a great story for the paper, and he told me about the woman who needed help gathering wood. Then he added, "I could write an article about it for the paper if you would like?" The timing of that offer was magical. I had been feeling the weight of my new role as editor, more demanding than I expected, and Mike's kindness gave me a moment to breathe. His willingness to write the article reminded me that I don't have to do everything alone. I should have been asking for help all along. My immediate response was a very grateful "Yes! That would be wonderful." Mike sent me the wood cutting article within a few hours of that brief interaction on Monday. On Tuesday, he was helping with St. Brendan's Bingo Night, setting up the bingo board, adjusting the microphone, preparing to call numbers, and then staying afterward with Diane, his wife, to stack chairs and load equipment into trucks. On Wednesday, he showed up to help unload the Catholic Charities delivery truck, then stayed after to break down boxes so he could haul them to the dump. A few weeks ago, Mike and Diane were working along Highway 50 picking up trash and next weekend they will be organizing the pumpkin patch for the kids. Mike and his wife, Diane, have been members of the Eureka Lions Club for more than 30 years. Their involvement has given them many opportunities to serve, but not every act of kindness Mike offers is tied to being a Lion. His generosity isn't a role he plays; it's simply who he is. He is civically minded, yes, but more importantly, he is a genuinely good-hearted person with a generous spirit. I just marvel at how many times I see Mike quietly supporting this community. When I initially showed my husband the wood cutting photos, he said, "Mike is always helping others. He should win some kind of award." I'm not sure he'll ever receive a public award for all the kind and helpful things he does, but I wanted to recognize the positive impact he has had on me. Mike exemplifies positivity and generosity. He intentionally sets out to help other people, but I bet he isn't even aware of the powerful impact he had during a simple interaction at the coffee shop. And sometimes, those "coincidences" I wrote about aren't coincidences at all. They are people like Mike showing up at exactly the right moment, reminding us that goodness and kindness are everywhere if we take the time to notice them. Winnona writes about life, community, and the people and places that make rural Eureka County home.