Day 345
Nothing says spring like daffodils, at least around this part of the country. And nothing says spring is never going to get here like raw temperatures and snow flurries in the middle of March. Guess what it was doing today? My attempt to move things along was to buy a bunch of daffodils and leave them for someone to find. It may be magical thinking, but it was definitely worth a shot.
I placed them on the sidewalk with a note outside the karate studio while my sons were in class. The note said “Happy Spring! It may be cold outside but spring is on the way. If you find these, then they are for YOU. Enjoy!” As it turned out a woman in their class found them as she was leaving and she was beyond excited. She went back into the building to show the teacher and the note was passed around. As this was unfolding I whispered to my boys that I was the one who left them. We ended up walking out at the same time as the finder, and we overheard her saying to her friend, still smiling, “These will look perfect in my room.”
It was tremendous fun for me to be with my boys when this happened and for them to see how happy the woman was. My younger son commented “It was like she won a huge prize.” And I think that for maybe the first time in the year of this project we shared a moment of wonder and joy that kindness can bring.
I may not have moved spring along any faster, but it was still a little magical.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Birthdays The Way They Were
Day 344
I sent a birthday card to one of my best friends from high school today. We used to exchange cards every year but we've lost touch in the recent few years. This project has helped remind me that I really would like to stay connected with her
I, along with most other people, have come to rely more on email and ,yes I'm embarrassed to admit, Facebook, to communicate with people. But this particular friend isn't on Facebook and I don't have her email address so I went old school with a card. Just the way I used to, back in the day.
I sent a birthday card to one of my best friends from high school today. We used to exchange cards every year but we've lost touch in the recent few years. This project has helped remind me that I really would like to stay connected with her
I, along with most other people, have come to rely more on email and ,yes I'm embarrassed to admit, Facebook, to communicate with people. But this particular friend isn't on Facebook and I don't have her email address so I went old school with a card. Just the way I used to, back in the day.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Going It Alone
Day 343
My intention today was to engage my family in a good old fashioned pick up trash session on our street. But since it was the first sunny, warm day with no snow on the ground since December, I suspected the kinder thing to do was NOT coerce/force/beg them to participate in this activity with me. Instead, I went it alone, the single trash picker.
Perhaps when this enjoying the beautiful weather thing gets old, I'll get the family to join me.
My intention today was to engage my family in a good old fashioned pick up trash session on our street. But since it was the first sunny, warm day with no snow on the ground since December, I suspected the kinder thing to do was NOT coerce/force/beg them to participate in this activity with me. Instead, I went it alone, the single trash picker.
Perhaps when this enjoying the beautiful weather thing gets old, I'll get the family to join me.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Thinking of Japan
Day 342
We made a donation today to the Red Cross for the recovery effort in Japan. It is impossible to watch the coverage of the devastation and not want to do something to try to help.
This morning as I was watching and reading the news it seemed beyond horrific. But it also seemed so far away and unreal that it didn't touch me in a way I would have expected. Later in the day I saw some film footage of a cars being swept away, and I noticed one was the exact same as our family's car. In that moment the distance seemed to close and the unreal quality to what I was feeling disappeared. That was some one's car, very possibly it belonged to a family just like mine.
It was a reminder that the world is indeed a small place, and that what we all have in common is so much greater than our differences.
We made a donation today to the Red Cross for the recovery effort in Japan. It is impossible to watch the coverage of the devastation and not want to do something to try to help.
This morning as I was watching and reading the news it seemed beyond horrific. But it also seemed so far away and unreal that it didn't touch me in a way I would have expected. Later in the day I saw some film footage of a cars being swept away, and I noticed one was the exact same as our family's car. In that moment the distance seemed to close and the unreal quality to what I was feeling disappeared. That was some one's car, very possibly it belonged to a family just like mine.
It was a reminder that the world is indeed a small place, and that what we all have in common is so much greater than our differences.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Lost And Found
Day 341
I was at a meeting at my son's school this morning. I stopped by the restroom and spotted a text book on the floor, along with some notes so I brought them to the office.
Now, I realize this does not seem like a very impressive act of kindness. Of course I should have turned the book in to make sure it was returned to the rightful owner. But this project has made me so much more aware of the small things one can do to make some else's day just a little bit easier, or more pleasant or even just more tolerable. I would like to think that I always do the right thing, with or without blogging about it. But I am not 100 percent certain I would have even noticed the book a year ago. Or I may have just assumed whoever lost it would know right where to find it. I can't really know for sure what I would have done in the past.
I do know this. I have a new found radar for acts of kindness and acts of "do the right thing" that I hope will stay with me in the future.
I was at a meeting at my son's school this morning. I stopped by the restroom and spotted a text book on the floor, along with some notes so I brought them to the office.
Now, I realize this does not seem like a very impressive act of kindness. Of course I should have turned the book in to make sure it was returned to the rightful owner. But this project has made me so much more aware of the small things one can do to make some else's day just a little bit easier, or more pleasant or even just more tolerable. I would like to think that I always do the right thing, with or without blogging about it. But I am not 100 percent certain I would have even noticed the book a year ago. Or I may have just assumed whoever lost it would know right where to find it. I can't really know for sure what I would have done in the past.
I do know this. I have a new found radar for acts of kindness and acts of "do the right thing" that I hope will stay with me in the future.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Partners in Kindness
Day 340
Picking up some prescriptions today I noticed there were gift cards for the sale to the right of the register. I bought one for five dollars and asked the person at the register to give it to then next person who looked like they could use a nice surprise in their day. I have done this a number times in the course of this project. The first few times I tried to get out as fast as I could with little explanation about what I was doing. It was a combination of feeling uncomfortable and wanting it to be a truly random act of kindness.
I have "evolved" in my delivery, and when the cashier looked a bit perplexed about my request, I took some time to explain that I was just trying to do something nice for a stranger because it was fun to do. Her appearance changed from confused to interested to happy, and I could tell she was pleased to participate in the plan.
Having partners in kindness really does seem to be more fun.
Picking up some prescriptions today I noticed there were gift cards for the sale to the right of the register. I bought one for five dollars and asked the person at the register to give it to then next person who looked like they could use a nice surprise in their day. I have done this a number times in the course of this project. The first few times I tried to get out as fast as I could with little explanation about what I was doing. It was a combination of feeling uncomfortable and wanting it to be a truly random act of kindness.
I have "evolved" in my delivery, and when the cashier looked a bit perplexed about my request, I took some time to explain that I was just trying to do something nice for a stranger because it was fun to do. Her appearance changed from confused to interested to happy, and I could tell she was pleased to participate in the plan.
Having partners in kindness really does seem to be more fun.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Put The Phone Down
We went out for pizza tonight with my brother who was visiting from out of town. In the restaurant were a couple candy machines, the kind you put the money in and get a handful of M and M's or jelly beans. While we were waiting for our dinner, I walked over (surreptitiously so my kids wouldn't see me) and placed a couple of quarters on top of the machines.
I was really hoping to see someone find them. At one point a group of three girls came in with an adult. They looked around 9 or 10 and were dressed in soccer gear and seemed to be getting dinner after practice. They were hanging around the candy machines as the adult placed an order. I was sure that one of them would find the money but alas, it wasn't meant to be. They were all too busy checking their cell phones to even look up.
Cell phones are one of my pet peeves. Kids with cell phones are an even bigger pet peeve. And even bigger than that is kids who are clearly to young to have cell phones but have convinced their parents they are necessary in case of an emergency. Pair that with the cell phone use that prevents someone from finding my random act of kindness and you have one pretty cranky kind person.
We left before anyone spotted the coins. I'm sure they were found eventually and perhaps brought a smile to someone's face. And hopefully, that person was not talking on their phone at the time.
I was really hoping to see someone find them. At one point a group of three girls came in with an adult. They looked around 9 or 10 and were dressed in soccer gear and seemed to be getting dinner after practice. They were hanging around the candy machines as the adult placed an order. I was sure that one of them would find the money but alas, it wasn't meant to be. They were all too busy checking their cell phones to even look up.
Cell phones are one of my pet peeves. Kids with cell phones are an even bigger pet peeve. And even bigger than that is kids who are clearly to young to have cell phones but have convinced their parents they are necessary in case of an emergency. Pair that with the cell phone use that prevents someone from finding my random act of kindness and you have one pretty cranky kind person.
We left before anyone spotted the coins. I'm sure they were found eventually and perhaps brought a smile to someone's face. And hopefully, that person was not talking on their phone at the time.
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