Last week I read something on facebook that really spoke to me. It was an article about people doing random acts of kindness in honor of the children and teachers that were killed in the Connecticut school shooting. I love this idea so much. I love that people are taking something horrific and ugly and finding a way to honor those lost with kindness and peace. So the kids and I have started our own tally of acts of kindness. And we are enjoying it SO much!
We started on Yule, and we brought boxes of cupcakes to a domestic violence shelter for women and children. The kids loved picking out the cupcakes! I wanted to make them, but there are ninety people there and we didn’t have time! Plus, I’m not sure if they would have accepted homemade food. Since then we’ve been looking for ways to do good things for others. It is fun and the kids enjoy coming up with new ways to help people, which I think is just awesome.
I posted on my page about this and got some great suggestions from my readers! These are my favorites:
-Paying for the person in line behind you at the drive up window.
-Giving your waiter a 100% tip.
-Leaving a note, scratch ticket or flowers on the windshield of a stranger’s car.
-Shoveling your neighbor’s driveway.
-Tape loose change to a vending machine.
-Make care packages for the families at the NICU.
-Flowers dropped off at a nursing home, ask the front desk to give them to someone that does not get many visitors.
I think this is the start of something beautiful for my family! Are you doing acts of kindness? If we ALL did it this world would be a lovely place!
I’ve seen tons of pages about homeless care packages that can be made with freebies or items you got with coupons (toiletries, candies, etc) that I need to get on the ball and put together.. most suggest putting basic toiletries (plus a book/blanket/gift card/etc. if you can) into a gallon zip top bag and keep several bags in the car to hand out to the sign holders in town if you are leary about giving cash (in case they aren’t legit)..
My husband and I usually keep several (clean) jackets and sweat shirts in the trunk of the car that would have otherwise been taken to the goodwill… and if we see someone without and it’s rather chilly out, we ask if they could use one and give them out as needed.. in his younger days, my husband spent some time as a homeless person (he was fortunate to have a friend’s couch to sleep on most nights) and he said that after that, he could always tell the genuine homeless from the folks that panhandle without a true need by the smell.. he said it isn’t that they stink, because most don’t, but they have a wild scent, similar to that of a wild animal, that a person doesn’t have if they are not living on the street.. (that is how he describes it to me..)
I would like to put in a word of caution about putting items on a person’s windshield: there have been some car hi-jackers that have used this method to get people to get out of their cars to get to them.. so some folks that have read the advice to leave that stuff alone may miss out on those items if it flies off while they are leaving the area…
These are some great ideas, I’m definately gonna have to start doing more. Thanks for the great article
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing…
john´s last post… One tradition dies, another is born
I always love how involved, willing and happy the kids are to do something kind for others
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