By Mary O’KEEFE

This week I am not writing about the weather but I am writing about our environment – in a manner of speaking. 

I recently went through a mental gymnastic exercise with my cellphone service. I had called it because I was attempting to order an upgrade to my phone and the online service wasn’t working. I asked for support and what I got was a person who had no idea how to help. We went around and around about how the online service didn’t work and even though the representative suggested I try the same thing over and over again – it still didn’t work. [What was it that Einstein said about insanity?] I eventually ended up texting my son who told me what he thought was the problem; I followed his suggestion and was able to order the phone. I think it is important to point out that my son does not, nor has he ever, worked for the cellphone service but understands technology … which I had thought the cellphone company’s technology representative would specialize in. I then followed up with a delivery problem on this same newly-ordered phone. The representatives I spoke to just seemed apathetic. 

The next day I was at the Y in La Cañada Flintridge to volunteer for Prom Plus and was attempting to drive up the driveway that leads to the top overflow parking lot. I was waiting for a large pickup truck to drive down the narrow road. The truck was driving more in the middle than the far right side of the road so I thought I would wait for the driver to get to a place where he could get over to his side of the road and I could safely pass. A driver who was apparently very upset that he couldn’t find a parking spot in the main lot was upset with me for waiting. He didn’t honk – he just aggressively drove his car toward mine. I looked at him and he was yelling and moving his arms for me to keep going. I motioned I was waiting for the truck; he continued to yell so I backed up. He then whipped around my car and, in a Cruella de Vil-style, drove up the driveway. 

These experiences just added to the environment of apathy and even hate that recently seems to surround everything. It has just got me wondering ‘What’s the use in trying to support and help others?’ I don’t know if anyone else feels like Sisyphus continuing to push a boulder up that road and always dealing with the roll back –  but I sure felt that way.  

And then I spent hours at the Y with Prom Plus. The new board of the 31-year-old organization was so excited, organized and passionate about helping these CVHS kids have a safe and fun after-prom event. Volunteers came to help – some for the first time and some have volunteered for over a decade. My Prom Plus Club kids from two years ago showed up to help – and they brought friends. They came back to pay it forward. 

And talking about paying it forward my daughter, who co-founded Prom Plus Club when she was in high school, organized the volunteers and supported the board in every way. 

The kids stopped to say “thank you” as they left the event and told us they had a great time and appreciated what the volunteers were doing. It was a long night but, as is every time I leave the PP event, I felt uplifted by all who volunteered their time and talents, all of those who donated food and all of the kids who seemed so excited seeing how much their community cares. 

Veterans from American Legion Post 288 and Veterans of Foreign Wars 1614 showed up at 3 a.m. to help unload equipment at the Y and load equipment into the Fire House youth center; they never fail Prom Plus. 

Then on Monday morning I was walking at CV Park with my dog and I saw a woman walking toward me. This is common and normally most folks offer a nod of hello – though some actually say hello – but as this woman approached she paused in front of me, opened up her arms and asked, “Isn’t this a marvelous day to be alive?” 

I was a little shocked but agreed with her and continued walking. I realized that I had a smile on my face as I continued my walk. I felt better and everything in nature looked a little better. 

I then came upon two community icons, Chris and Steve, who were not just going on a walk but picking up trash as they traveled the paths. And I realized, again,  how lucky I am to live in this community. 

I don’t know if that woman I met on the trail or the two people cleaning trash as part of their walk understand what their actions do for others. I thought back of how my daughter will compliment someone on their hair, clothes or smile, and how that seems to lift up people. I realized that in the environment of negativity we are now living in we need to share these kind words with each other – now more than ever before. 

I realized that in the environment of negativity in which we now live kind words mean more now than ever before – especially when we see acts of true evil, like what we witnessed recently with the bombing in Palm Springs. A preliminary investigation revealed the 25-year-old suspect followed a anti-natalist philosophy, meaning he believed no one should have children. With the ability of this type (and other cruelty-based) hatred to spread so easily it is important for us, just regular citizens, to make an extra effort to be kind to one and other.

I would like to hear from y’all about a time when someone has just been kind and that kindness has changed your day. I would like to share these kind moments in the paper and online.

Please contact me at mary@cvweekly.com.

Today will be hot with a high of 87 degrees and then there will be a slight cooling trend that will bring us back to more normal conditions for this time of year. 

Today and Friday winds between five and 10 mph are expected with gusts up to 20 mph. On Friday the high is expected to be about 78 and on Saturday 76.

Then on Sunday there will be some patchy fog then a break through with sunshine with a high near 77. This trend will continue through Tuesday.