School Visit: Part 1

Last week, I was helping my husband clean out his car. I was really surprised to find a box of spiral notebooks in the trunk. I had forgotten all about them... for three years. I'm not exaggerating. They have been riding around in the trunk of his car for THREE YEARS. I bought them at Target when they were on sale for ten cents a piece. I thought I would keep them in my room at school just in case any students needed a notebook. I remember taking one box to school and leaving the other one in his car. I just can't believe that was three years ago.

I dropped them off at an elementary school today. Well, not just any elementary school. I chose the elementary school that I attended. It was a lot of fun to see the inside of the office again. It still smells the same. I think I'll be going back. I heard that my second grade teacher is still working there (which is kind of a miracle since she was old when I was in second grade). She said that I could be anything I wanted, and I think I wanted to be an astronaut back then. It would be really nice to see her and say thank you for being such a special teacher. And, let her know that I changed my mind about the astronaut thing. I'll let you know how that goes.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

"What a pretty shirt!"

Today was the last of LJ's birthday celebrations. We had a big, family dinner tonight. I knew that I would be in the kitchen all morning and partying all afternoon and evening so I was a little worried about finding time to fit in some kindness. I was actually happy when I discovered that I was missing an ingredient and had to make a trip to the grocery store. On the way, I was thinking about my days as an 8th grade teacher. One of my students & I used to stand in the hallway before his class and take turns complimenting the people who walked by. We weren't really being nice. It was more for our own amusement. I mean, it wasn't mean-spirited or anything, but we handed out some pretty unusual compliments. I wonder what he's up to these days. I think he's a junior in high school now. Anyway, I decided that I would compliment someone in the grocery store. Nice and easy, right?

I wanted it to be an honest compliment. I actually walked around the entire store waiting for something/someone to catch my eye. No luck. On my way out, I spotted a shirt. A very colorful shirt. It was in the Hawaiian family. Bright blue. Floral. Even though it wasn't completely honest, I delivered the compliment anyway. I don't think that she spoke English, but I got a smile and a nod in return. I tried. In retrospect, I think the kinder act was the time I spent at home cooking for my family.


Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Pizza Delivery

LJ's birthday celebration continues. We had a super fun party at the horse park today. Playground, pony rides, and too much food! We had an entire extra-large pizza left over. I considered bringing it home, but then I thought it would make an excellent act of kindness instead. I walked it over to the barn and offered it to the stable workers. They were thrilled. There must have been some hungry people in the bunch because the pizza delivery actually elicited some dancing. As I walked back to the party, someone ran out and screamed, "WE LOVE YOU!"

You're welcome. :-)

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Give Flowers to a Stranger Day

It's August 27th, and according to Betsy's blog (The Kindness of Strangers) it's Give Flowers to a Stranger Day. I read about it last night and decided that we simply must get on board. Since I made a gazillion tissue paper flowers for LJ's party this weekend, I had plenty to choose from. On our way out the door, I grabbed a pretty yellow one. It would be perfect to present to a stranger.

Rather than complete this act myself, I pushed it off on LJ. I thought the stranger might be more receptive if it came from her (and maybe I was just a little intimidated about walking up to a stranger and handing him/her a flower... perhaps it would have been easier if I had a whole bouquet rather than one little tissue paper flower... excuses, excuses). So, I told her that she could pick anyone in the restaurant and give them the flower. She nodded her head and said yes, but she never wanted to give it up.

We ended up leaving it on the table next to the tip.


Next month, I'll be ready. I'll be braver then, too. Watch out strangers. Here I come. ;-)

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

The Check-out Line

I know that I told you that LJ was two years old in my first post. I rounded up. She is actually turning two this weekend. We're having a party with her friends at the park on Saturday, and a dinner party with family on Sunday. I spent most of today running around town picking up some last minute decorations and making some of the cutest party favors (possibly ever known to the Universe... they are that cute... for real). When I was in line at Michael's, I noticed that the woman behind me seemed very agitated. There was only one check-out line open, and the line was pretty long. She only had one item so I offered to let her go in front of me. She accepted with a smile and a "thank you." Act of kindness: complete.

I've always let people go in front of me if I have a lot of items and they only have a few. I think it's one of those what goes around comes around kind of things. I remember the last time it happened to me. We were shopping in June, and this incredibly sweet man let us go in front of him. I guess today was my turn. Tag. You're it. :-)

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

PS It's Thursday. I'm still doing the Love Bomb thing. It feels good. Click here for this week's mission.

Helen

This is only half an act of kindness. Maybe even a quarter. But, it's all I've got today. I recently saw an incredibly sweet stop motion video at Kind Over Matter, and I really wanted to make one myself. The video clip below is my copycat version.



I made it for my friend, Helen, who has been diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma and will begin chemotherapy in September. I am going to add more to this clip... it needs some "hope" and "trust" and maybe some "love." When I'm finished, I am going to burn a DVD and send it to my beautiful friend. I had hoped to finish it today, but it took a lot longer than I thought it would.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

In the Parking Lot

It's Election Day. As I was waiting in line to cast my vote for the primaries, I was doing a little a people watching (just checking out my neighbors). I noticed one gentleman who was having a lot of difficulty walking. His wife was helping him to the door. He would take a couple of shaky steps, stop and lean on her, and then take a few more. I made it through the line, voted, and then caught up with them in the parking lot. They were getting into the car next to mine. He was halfway in the passenger seat. She was pushing on his legs. Then, she turned around and put her back against him and pushed in an attempt to get him into the seat.

Of course, I asked if she needed any help. She said, "No. I do this all the time." And, with one final push, he was up and in. As she closed his door, she told me that he was her husband and that he has had Parkinson's disease for eleven years. She said that it was really hard because he can't do anything by himself anymore. He can't walk. He can't feed himself. It was heartbreaking. You could tell that she had a very compassionate spirit. I don't even know what I said to her-- something about being a wonderful wife. She was such a beautiful person. I'm glad our paths crossed today.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Feeling Sneaky

"If you ignore beauty, you will soon find yourself without it...

But if you invest in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life."
Frank Lloyd Wright

The National Wildlife Federation was kind enough to send me these cute cards and matching note pad in the mail. What a nice surprise! I decided to pass it along to someone else who might need a light day brightening. I feel a little sneaky about this one because I dropped this little package on the doorstep of a relative who 1) does not know that I am doing this project and 2) has a notoriously difficult time with her neighbors. Hopefully, it will improve neighbor relations (rather than creating suspicion).


I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when she found it. Where is that hidden camera when you need it?

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

A Deliberate Act of Kindness

I learned about an exciting new volunteer opportunity today. It's called Hope South Florida, and it is a collaborative effort among 8 local churches to help the 4,000 men, women, and children who find themselves homeless in Broward County. The plan is to create housing initiatives, mentoring relationships, and one-stop community service centers for things like food, clothing, child care, and bus passes. Since I certainly plan to become involved, I was paying close attention to all of the details. Or at least I was trying to pay attention. It was kind of hard because there were two teenage boys sitting in front of me. They were more interested in popping their gum, writing notes, pinching each other and faking seizures. Oh, I just wanted to grab them by the back of their necks and knock their heads together. (I know, I know... not very kind thoughts, but it was soooo irritating). That's when this blog popped into my head. I decided that I would go out of my way to be kind to them.

After it was all over, we ended up having a nice conversation. Their first day of school is tomorrow. One is a senior, and the other is a sophomore. I wished them both well and told them that I hope that they have a great school year. I meant it. This particular act of kindness took a lot more effort than the others. It's a little harder to be kind to people who are really getting on your nerves.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Happy Shopping

I planned to leave a little stack of coins on top of a toy vending machine today. I had four quarters and a "happy shopping" sign in my pocket, ready to make some kid's day. The only problem was that I couldn't find any toy vending machines. Strange.

So I had a change of plans at Target (my last stop of the day). When I entered the door, I walked to the $1 section and placed the coins and sign on the bottom rack. I snapped a quick picture with my cell phone and walked away.


When I finished with my shopping, I just had to pass by again to see if anyone had found my surprise. I was so disappointed to see it still sitting there. I got in line, but I kept my eyes and ears on the dollar section. Woo hoo!!! A little boy found it and I was going to get to see him pick it up (very exciting stuff). He said, "Hey, Dad! Come here. I want to show you something!" with a big smile on his face. I was secretly doing a little happy dance. A happy little dance that lasted all of five seconds-- when his father yelled, "WHAT? What do you want to show me? This isn't a sightseeing trip! We have stuff to do. Let's go!" He stormed off with my little friend walking sadly behind him. I wanted to scream-- "Hey, kid! Pick it up! That dollar is for you. PS- I'm sorry your dad is a jerk." Instead, I kept quiet, paid, and left.

Hopefully, the story has a happy ending. Maybe the boy went back. Maybe some other child picked it up and bought a new, fun toy. Maybe nobody picked it up and someone on the cleaning crew found it and bought a soda on his way home tonight. I'll never know. But, I was reminded that I need to have patience with LJ. She is just starting to put sentences together so we are a long way from "Hey, Mom! Come here. I want to show you something!" When she gets there, I can guarantee that I am going to go see it... whatever it is.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Emergency Plan: Librarians Rock

I knew this day would come. It was super busy-- tutoring in the morning, followed by babysitting for a neighbor's sweet 8-month old all afternoon, then dinner-bath-books-bed for LJ. How was I supposed to fit in an act of kindness in between all of the other things that life had thrown at me?!? Luckily, I planned ahead for an occasion such as this.

During our last trip to the library, I noticed a poster: If you believe a library employee has provided exceptional service, please tell us about it. I took one of the pamphlets because I already knew who I would nominate for the service award. Alicia is one heck of a librarian. She always greets us in a warm and friendly manner. She offers assistance without being requested and answers questions in a polite, professional manner. Alicia always has a smile for everyone... even for the bad customers. I've witnessed some really nasty encounters at the customer service desk (there's something about those library fines that really gets people going). Anyway, I was glad to have the pamphlet in my bag this evening and happy to share some praise for the best librarian in Broward County.


Now I need to replenish my emergency stash because I know that there will be more days like today in my future.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Peach Bread

My mom said that she had too many peaches. What a terrible problem to have! ;-) It's a good thing that LJ and I were around. We ate a peach a piece, and then I offered to make some peach bread which would take care of another two cups of fresh peaches. My mom gladly accepted. Since the recipe made two loaves, I decided to share some with the neighbors.

I think I prefer anonymous acts of kindness, but we had to deliver the goods in person this time. I wanted them to actually eat the bread, and there is no way I would accept an edible gift from someone I didn't know. We picked a sweet couple who live two streets over. LJ calls them "Pappy and Swah" (a pretty close, 2-year old version of their names), and they usually make a big fuss over her when we are out walking. "Pappy" answered the door, and she seemed pretty excited about the bread and impressed that it was still hot from the oven. But, it was the kiss from LJ that sealed the deal... definitely a day maker!

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Hi, Stranger

Today's act of kindness actually started yesterday. During our afternoon walk, we met a man who was removing a bee hive at our neighbor's house. I noticed his outfit as we passed by (since it was smoking hot outside and he was in a jumpsuit) and then I read the sign on his truck aloud, "Bee removal." I guess he heard me because he started talking back. So LJ and I stopped and chatted with the man. He told us about the job he was doing and showed us his beekeeper suit and the bee stings on his hands. I thought about him a lot yesterday afternoon. He was a really nice guy. We almost walked right by and missed the opportunity to meet him.

So, today my mission was to be a little friendlier to strangers. I guess this was an act of kindness for myself since I truly enjoyed chatting with all of the nice people out in the world today.

To the woman behind me in line at the post office: your niece is going to LOVE her birthday present!

To the sweet old man who convinced me to buy LJ that toy chest: I hope your wife didn't keep you waiting too long, and you were right... I fixed the broken hinge.

I had some really nice conversations today. I don't think that they would have happened if I had not been intentionally looking for them. At the beginning of this project, I was under the impression that strangers didn't want to be talked to and preferred to be left alone. But, now I'm not so sure. I guess it depends on the stranger. Anyway, as I said before, I was the lucky one today.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Craft Day at the Beach

During our last trip, LJ and I found a lot of shells with holes in them, and I remember thinking that they would have made excellent necklaces. This time I was prepared. I tucked some ribbons into our beach bag this morning. Today was my husband's day off so he joined us in the search for some more holey shells. I made some little necklaces while they built a sandcastle. We left them hanging on a post on the boardwalk on our way to the parking lot. I have to admit... they looked pretty sweet hanging there.




Have a lovely day!

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Save the Frogs (one pink watering can at a time)

There was a lot of excitement around the house today because a new wave of baby frogs found their way to our backyard and, consequently, our swimming pool. LJ was on a mission. Save the frogs!

Step 1: The Daring Rescue


Step 2: Words of Encouragement


Step 3: The Release


LJ completed approximately 23 successful rescue missions throughout the day. I kind of lost count at one point, but 23 sounds about right. She loves all animals... even the creepy ones (after shouting, "Go away!" to a spider we met recently, she looked back over her shoulder and blew it a kiss). It really warms my heart. I don't think the local insect population would approve of today's act of kindness, but it still counts in my book.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Sidewalk Chalk

We had a birthday party this evening for one of my brothers. Since I knew that most of the day was going to be spent in the kitchen, I decided to complete our act of kindness early. LJ and I grabbed her bucket of sidewalk chalk and headed out to find the perfect spot. I wanted to write an inspirational message. Something for the dog walkers and joggers to think about on a beautiful August morning. I drew some flowers. LJ added some of her flair. Then I wrote: "If you wake up breathing, you have another chance."

I have to thank my nephew's beautiful girlfriend for sharing that phrase with me. She has it tattooed on her back. It really is a lovely sentiment. For people like me (who screw up a lot) it's nice to be reminded that each new day is another chance. Did you hear that, people? Another chance!!! Today just might be the day that whatever you have been hoping, praying, dreaming for could happen. Today you have another chance to make it right. I hope that some of the people on our path read that little message and felt something good, something positive... before the rain washed it away around 4:00 pm. We could always get the sidewalk chalk out and do it again tomorrow. If I wake up breathing, I have another chance.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Love Bomb

I stumbled across another interesting project. According to the website, "the goal of ItStartsWith.Us is to build a global community of individuals focused on making a positive impact in the lives of the people around them." Of course, I joined the team. I will be learning more over the next week, but I am already in love with the concept of the Love Bomb. Once a week, the team comes together and "drops" hundreds of thoughtful comments on someone's blog post (someone who really needs some extra love). You can read more about Love Bombs here.

Today's act of kindness was committing to be a part of the Love Bomb team. I can invest five minutes each week to learn more about a stranger who is having a hard time and try to encourage him/her. The most recent Love Bomb recipient was a 22-year old named Bria who suffers from clinical depression and anxiety. I swiped the following picture from her blog :

Beautiful, isn't it?

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Lucky Day in Paradise

Today's act of kindness (or lack thereof) kind of crept up on me. I looked at the clock on our way home from dinner and realized that it was 7:30 pm and I had no idea what I would do. I dug around in the bottom of my purse. I found 4 quarters (in addition to 3 crayons, 2 hair bows, and 7 raisins courtesy of LJ). I asked my husband to stop at a convenience store so I could buy a lottery ticket. We pulled into the Paradise Food Store and made the purchase. I wrote a little note and attached it to the pay phone outside.


Not too shabby for the spur of the moment. I would love, love, love for this ticket to be a big winner. The person who is using the pay phone at the Paradise Food Store (which is really far from "paradise") could probably use a little luck today.

Kind Regards,
Your Neighbor

PS- I follow another blog called The Kindness of Strangers, and I just read that she had a similar situation today. Oh no, it's 4:00 pm-- what will I do? Her entry made me laugh, and I'm sure you would enjoy it, too. Maybe my husband was thinking the same thing as he watched me taping the lottery ticket to the pay phone.

Expression of Gratitude (long overdue)

I found another fabulous blog. 365 Letters began as a project to write a letter every day for 2009. That project was completed and continued in a 2010 version. Yesterday's post inspired today's act of kindness:

"Letter #223: Today, write a letter to the person in charge of your favorite charity. Explain why it's your favorite charity; if there's a story behind your loyalty, happy or sad, share it. If the charity has helped you, a family member or friend in the past, let him/her know about it. If you can, include a donation."

The kind folks at a local hospice center immediately popped into my head. My father spent his last days there five years ago. The staff cared for him, but they also cared for my mother and for our grieving family as we gathered around his bed, knowing that we had only hours and then only minutes to spend by his side. I will never forget their kindness. What I realize-- five years later-- is that I never said, "Thank you." So, I wrote a letter today.

This expression of gratitude was long overdue. It felt sooooo good to put it on paper. I highly recommend this idea. Pick up a pen. You won't regret it.

Kind Regards,
Your Neighbor

On the Lookout

When we set out for our daily walk today, I told LJ to be on the lookout for opportunities for kindness. Surely, we would just stumble upon someone in need, and we would be there to lend a helping hand. She fell asleep about ten minutes into the walk (or maybe she passed out from the heat... today was a HOT one). Either way, my lookout was out of commission. I was on my own.

We walked our usual route, and I didn't really see any opportunities for being kind. The only thing that I considered was picking up a bunch of rotten, half-eaten mangoes that were strewn across the road. Since I didn't have a bag or gloves, I abandoned that idea and headed for home. That's when I saw one of my neighbors coming to check her mailbox. I strolled up her driveway to say hello. She sighed and said, "Oh, the mailman has already come. I wanted to get these into the mail today." Ta-da! This is the opportunity I was waiting for. I told her that I had just passed the mailman on our walk and if she would watch LJ I would run back and give him her letters.

This act was especially kind because I do not run. Ever. For any reason. I have a jogging stroller. I wear running shoes. I have Couch to 5K on my iPod. I have good intentions. But, honestly? On my best day, I might kick up the pace to a moderately brisk walk. Never a run. But, today I had to run to catch the mail carrier. I did it, and it felt really good. I might even consider doing it again sometime... the running thing, not necessarily after the mail carrier.

Kind Regards,
Your Neighbor

1 Umbrella... Here You Go!

Since I began this project, I have found so many interesting blogs on related topics. Two of them are based in Pittsburgh. Which makes me wonder... is Pittsburgh an exceptionally nice city? I have only been once (to visit a very dear friend who is one of the most naturally kind and lovely people I have ever known... which completely supports my suspicion that Pittsburghers are good people). I really enjoyed my visit. If I knew then what I know now, I would have been on the lookout for kindness while I was there. I guess I'll have to plan another trip soon.

In the meantime, I'll just keep a virtual eye on Pittsburgh and all of the good things happening there. One of these good things is a project called Here You Go. I originally read about this at Operation Nice. It's a pay-it-forward program. The creator started by handing out free umbrellas with the hope that the recipient would do a kind deed for someone else. She included a pre-stamped, pre-addressed postcard with each umbrella so they could tell her about their kind deeds. After 1,000 umbrellas, the project is still going strong.

You can probably guess what today's act of kindness was. I found four umbrellas in my closet and decided that I could part with the green one. After returning books to the library, I walked over to a storefront in the shopping plaza and left my umbrella there:

It didn't take long for someone to come by and pick up the umbrella. I watched as he opened it up and checked it out. At first he put it back where he found it, and then he took it with him. I was thrilled. I think I might have clapped and maybe giggled a little. And, I couldn't have been happier when it started pouring rain on my way home... even when I realized that my three remaining umbrellas were still in the closet!

Enjoy your new umbrella, Friend.

Kind Regards,
Your Neighbor

Putting LJ to Work

Today was LJ's day to shine. She made this happy, little sand art creation. It was a great craft for a toddler since you just peel the stickers off one at a time and sprinkle the sand everywhere. It was messy, but fun.
Then, I told LJ that we were going to give it to one of our neighbors, and I asked if she wanted to give her a flower, too. LJ got really excited (it doesn't take much) and screamed, "Jes!" We picked out a pretty, pink rose.
We walked down the street to make the delivery. I told LJ that we were going to quietly leave our gifts on the doorstep. She wasn't really into that idea. She gave the door a few good knocks and screamed, "Hellllooooo!!!" (Two-year-olds like to make an entrance.) Our neighbor didn't come to the door so we left the surprises tucked behind the screen. I really enjoyed today's act of kindness. It was great mother/daughter time for us. Hopefully, it brightened someone else's day, too.

Kind Regards,
Your Neighbor

Graduation Weekend

We traveled to Orlando this weekend for my nephew's graduation. It was such a happy occasion. I met so many nice people. I witnessed so many acts of kindness... friendly smiles, open doors, held elevators, and so many compliments. EVERYONE at the hotel seemed to be in love with my mom's dog. He's an 8-pound ball of black and white fluff... what's not to love?!?

My mission on Saturday was to become an official group photographer. I thought it would be the perfect place to offer some help to strangers. "Hey- would you like me to take a picture of the whole group?" I asked a lot of people, and everyone seemed to be very appreciative. Only one group refused. One of the girls looked at me with a very serious (almost offended) face and said, "No, thank you. We really don't know each other very well." Anyway, I just know that one of the pictures that I took of a family inside the arena is going to end up in a frame. Probably an 8 X 10 inch. I wish I had a copy of that one on my camera. They were a good-looking group. :-)
I am a little disappointed with today's act of kindness. After breakfast at the hotel, I helped to straighten up the the tables and chairs in the lobby and I picked up some trash. Then, I straightened up our hotel room so the maid would have an easy time cleaning. The disappointing thing is that most people do that kind of thing without even trying. When I told my brother that I was going to count this as my act of kindness for the day, he shook his head and said, "You're supposed to clean up after yourself. You're the one who made the mess." He's right. I can always count on this brother to keep me honest. He is the one who jokingly calls me "my sister, the blister" because "a blister shows up after all the work has been done." I do have an uncanny way of popping into the kitchen just as someone else dries the last dish. It's not that I'm lazy... really... I just have impeccable timing.

Since I don't have any lovely stories in my pocket, I am going to have to count this little hotel clean-up as my act of kindness today and hope for something bigger and better tomorrow.

Kind Regards,
Your Neighbor

Looking for a Good Book?

BookCrossing is the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise. I registered a book this morning, and then I left it at the airport for someone to find. I felt a little weird about doing this.... as if there may be a security camera watching me and armed guards prepared to descend upon "the suspicious package" that I left on a bench. In retrospect, the airport probably wasn't the best choice of places, but I had to go there this morning and it's a place where someone might appreciate finding a book. I'll let you know if it ends up getting registered on BookCrossing. I wonder where it might end up.

I am going out of town this weekend so my next post will be Sunday night. I hope I find some good things to do as we travel. Have a wonderful weekend!

Kind Regards,
Your Neighbor

Meat and Potatoes

A friend and I were talking about this blog (so I guess it's not completely anonymous after all). She was asking me about the difference between a random act of kindness and just doing the right thing. I told her that I was planning to do more deliberate acts of kindness, with some random acts in between, and I suppose they could both occasionally fall into the category of "the right thing to do." Since I'm defining the project, sometimes the recipients will be strangers and other times they will be people I know. That's the nice thing about this work-in-progress. I can make the rules up as I go along.

Today I am going to be making dinner for a neighbor. His wife is in the hospital, and he is in very poor health. Her daughter has been driving back and forth at mealtimes. During one of her stops, I asked if there is anything I could do. He is a meat and potatoes guy so I'll be dishing up some meatloaf and mashed potatoes about 6:00 pm. It won't be anonymous, but I guess it will still count. Another benefit of being the one who makes up the rules. :-)

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

Message in a Bottle

I guess there is a message in this bottle even if there isn't a little piece of paper rolled up inside. The message is please pick up your trash. LJ and I went to the beach early this morning for a little fun. We splashed in the water, found some pretty shells, chased birds, and built a sandcastle. When we were finished, we took a walk and picked up some trash. It was a pretty simple thing to do. And, I think she had more fun picking up trash than shells.

Kind Regards,

Your Neighbor

big smile, positive attitude

What would I like to tell you? I'd like to tell you how awesome our server was today at lunch! She was attentive and did everything that great servers always do. In addition, you could tell that she was a really warm and genuine person... big smile, positive attitude. So, I got online and took a little trip to olivegarden.com and left some praise for our server. I hope that she will eventually get the message and that something good may happen as a result.

Kind Regards,
Your Neighbor

Card Drop

Since I started this project, I have been searching for similar blogs, and I have been amazed by what I have found. I knew that I couldn't be the only person in the world doing something like this, but I have been surprised that there are SO many others who have the same idea. These blogs are really insightful, creative, and inspirational. I must admit that I'm feeling a little amateur hour in comparison. But, you have to start somewhere-- right?

Some of my favorites:

Operation Nice
Secret Agent L
Kind Over Matter

Today's act of kindness was a card drop. I downloaded a set of Kind Over Matter's Quotation Cards. LJ hopped into her stroller, I grabbed the cards and a roll of tape, and we took off for a walk in the neighborhood. We made a few stops along the way:

The Library

Bicycle Rack

Bus Stop

Grocery Store

Newspaper Machine

A tree on the way home

I enjoyed leaving these little notes. It made me smile. I can't help but think that the strangers who found them might be smiling, too.

Kind Regards,
Your Neighbor

My "Neighbors" in Stranahan Park

On my way to church this morning, I passed by a park where many homeless people gather. I was thinking about how miserable it must be and how ridiculously hot it is, and I thought about this blog and how I should do something nice for them someday. Then, I remembered an article that I read in the Sun-Sentinel about a sex offender who was living in the park . I decided that I would definitely NOT be doing anything nice for them since I am certainly NOT going to be kind to any sex offenders. And, I drove on to church.

I suppose God heard me since it appears that this morning's message was written specifically for me. It referenced "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" [Matthew 7:12] and "Love your neighbor as yourself" [Matthew 22:39]. Of course, I thought about this blog and felt good about the year-long journey that I have started. That's when our guest speaker said that we have to take it a step further and love one another the way that God loves you. [John 13:34] I thought about those people in the park. I hear you, God. I guess I'm stopping by CVS on my way home.

I bought a case of water on sale for $2.99 with my CVS card (total kindness project spending to date: $7.99):

I drove to the park. I didn't really know what to do with the water. There were a lot of people sitting on the ground in the shade. So, I just placed the case of water under a tree. A woman, who looked about my age, said, "Thank you." I waved and walked back to my car. By the time I got back in my car, ten people were around the case of water and more were walking toward it. I'm not going to lie... I cried. It just broke my heart. I found my camera in my purse and snapped a picture:


I know that city commissioners were debating a ban on feeding the homeless at this location so this might be a controversial act of kindness, but it's one that I felt really good about doing. I am glad that I got a reminder about who "my neighbor" is and the call to love him more than I can imagine.

Kind Regards,
Your Neighbor