Thursday Thirteen

I went to the Rachel's Challenge presentation at school today (third time I had seen/heard the story).  It never ceases to amaze and inspire me.  Like Rachel Scott, I do believe that kindness goes a long way and that kind acts can produce a chain reaction.  Not just random acts of kindness, which are good, but TARGETED acts of kindness which are even better.   (Rachel was the first student who was shot at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999.)  Through the way she lived her life, her diaries, her essays, she embodied the Golden Rule and so much more!

What are some EASY ways to show kindness toward others?

1.  In traffic, allow someone to pull in front of you.
2.  Hold the elevator for someone.
3.  Smile and say hello to a stranger.
4.  Open the door for someone.
5.  Pick up something someone has dropped.
6.  Give a sincere, meaninful compliment.
7.  Keep bottled water in your car and give one to the guy on the street corner.
8.  Pay the toll for the car following you at the toll booth.
9.  Say, "I'm sorry," and mean it.
10. Send a random text or Facebook message just to say hi to someone.
11. Say, "Thank you," and mean it.
12. Write a note and put it in your child's/spouse's lunch.
13. Offer to load the groceries into the car if you see someone struggling.

Easy, right?  It really is easy to let someone know that they matter.
Kindness is a chain reaction.  Pay it forward!  And THANK YOU for stopping by today!
I'm linking up with Thursday 13 today.

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Everyday Kindness

It's a small thing, really. To be kind. Easier said than done, though, especially when you have been in a funk like I have for the last (almost) two months. I sometimes think I need to see a doctor for my moodiness, then I have a good day and think I'll be okay. So, I am going to take another approach, or at least give it the good ol' college try.

I am taking the challenge - the challenge to do at least one small act of kindness every day. I got my inspiration from Everyday Kindness, the title of this post. Here's the challenge:

• Make the commitment to do one small act of kindness daily. This doesn’t require that you let anyone know what you do. This is a personal, individual challenge.
  
• Feel free to blog about your commitment on your weblog or on the community weblog.
  
• If you would like to join, please send me an email to everydaykindness at gmail dot com.

Here are some recent things I did that made me feel good:

• I gave the last bit of Bath & Body Works bubble bath to my step-daughter - the really yummy smelling stuff - so she could enjoy a hot soak with her new book. I have not been particularly generous with her lately, so this was a small way for me to get back in the habit.
• Giving $2 to a homeless person. I don't always give money to the guys on the corner, but this one struck a chord with me, and I don't know why.
  When a neighbor's car was in the shop, I let her borrow mine to make a delivery - she provides the most elegant desserts to two area restaurants.
• I took a neighbor's daughter to church with us. She reciprocated and picked them up after youth group, so the kindness doubled.
• Every other week, I rush from work to pick up several kids and take them home from school so their moms don't have to worry about them walking home with their band instruments. Another mom takes the week I don't have.
• I helped a lady out to her car because she had two full shopping carts of items from Mardel.

I know it sounds like I'm just patting myself on the back, but that's really not the case. I hope that blogging about this will help pull me out of my depression and cause me to make a conscious effort to be kind even when I don't feel like it.

Opportunities to perform a simple act of kindness present themselves on a daily basis. We can look for the "big" ones, or we can focus on the small ones, a pat on the back for a job well done, a simple smile that lets the receiver know you have faith or confidence in him or her, holding a door open for someone, letting someone go first when it is clearly a tie as to who got to the checkout counter first, or reaching down to pick up something someone has dropped. Those little kindnesses mean more than we probably realize. This can't help but have a positive effect on a person's mood, including my own.

* Image designed by Harlekwin.

Pay it Forward Exchange

One of my favorite movies is "Pay it Forward." I first read this post on "Imagine Alyzabeth An... It's Easy If You Try" and I was so excited about the concept. Then, I couldn't find the original post. I have since found it, and I hope some of you will pass it on.

I will send - to the first three commenter's - a Christmas or Hanukkah gift. Not sure at this time what it will be, just hope you will like it. Please leave a way for me to contact you in your comment.

The Pay It Forward Exchange is based on the concept of the movie “Pay it Forward” where acts or deeds of kindness are done without expecting something in return, just passing it on, with hope that the recipients of the acts of kindness are passed on. What YOU have to do in return, then, is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.