I debated long and hard and even discussed posting this blog with a close friend of mine. I wanted to share my message and hopefully even inspire some people, but I didn't want it to appear as bragging. The way that I became inspired with this project was through a friend who openly shared occasionally about her acts of kindness that she completed. So decide to share I did. I didn't want to take away from the experience of this Birthday Project, I didn't want to make the 10 days seem disingenuous. These 10 days were seriously some of the best of my life and if this blog encourages someone to do random acts of kindness, then it is worth the time it's taking me to write this.
My Birthday Project: Sharing Kindness. 30 Random or Intentional Acts of Kindness in honor of my 30th birthday to be completed in the week before and after my 30th birthday. I initially wanted to complete this task in a week... but who am I kidding? I am human. I am a mother. I do work outside of the home. There just weren't enough hours in the day. So I allowed myself two weeks to complete my acts of kindness.
Here they are:
1/2. We bought flowers, which Addy picked out herself, and delivered them to our pediatrician and her assistant. We settled on grocery store flowers since no florists were open early enough to stop in before our well visit. But I think Addy did a fabulous job picking out some pretty ones!
3. After dropping Addy off at school that day I went to a store to purchase some lottery tickets for upcoming RAOK's (Random Acts of Kindness). As I was heading out the door I was feeling spontaneous and ripped one off my sheet of tickets and handed one with a smile and "Good Luck" to the next person walking into the store.
4. I left a lottery ticket and a card on a shelf in the supermarket. Most of my RAOK's were accompanied by a card that explained that it was my birthday and I was completing 30 acts of kindness in celebration. It also then asked the recipient to consider paying forward the kindness to someone they encountered in their life that week.
5. While at the store I bought a brand new basketball. Basketball and sports has given me so much and taught me so much in my life. I drove to one of the poorest sections of the city near where we live and left the ball on the courts there. Ready for this? Over an hour later I had to drive back past this court to pick Addy up at school and I was blessed enough to be passing by right as a young boy, about middle school age, was opening the basketball packaging. Coolest moment ever.
6. After school Addy and Mason and I went to the mall and handed out homemade superhero masks to the kids we saw there. We had about 10 to hand out and Addy was having so much fun finding kids to give them to. My favorite... Watching her chase down a little boy yelling "Hey Kid!!!" so she could give him one. She was so happy to give them away... a moment I was very proud of as sharing isn't the easiest thing for my three year old.
7. When we went to the pumpkin patch we bought a cup of animal food for another kid so that she could feed the animals.
8. I tape a card and lottery ticket to a gas pump so that the person who pulled in after me would have a little surprise and smile.
9. I did the classic PIF. I paid for the order for the woman behind me in line at Dunkin Donuts.
10. I left a gift card for a restaurant on a pastor's car. This was like being a secret agent trying to sneak it onto his windshield without being spotted by a family member since his car was parked in his driveway at the time. Another cool one because this pastor happens to be a friend of mine on facebook. So to see his facebook reaction later that day was priceless to me.
11. I left a surprise card with a few dollars to buy herself a coffee for a coworker to find on Monday morning. Everyone needs some sunshine (and coffee) on a Monday morning!
12/13/14. I left lottery tickets on three random car windshields.
15. I bought slim jims, pringles and gatorades and left a bag of snacks for our trashmen. These guys don't get enough appreciation for the work they do! I made a huge sign for the bag so it wouldn't get mistaken for trash!
16. I left a snack and note of appreciation in my mailbox as a surprise for our mail carrier. The next day I received a super sweet birthday card from her. That really made my day!
17. After a trip to the store I dropped off 3 packs of crayons and a handful of new coloring books to the local hospital for the pediatric patients. The look of disbelief on the hospital employee's face was priceless.
18/19. We made gifts for Addy's two teachers to thank them for a great year so far.
20. We visited an Assisted Living Facility with the kids in their Halloween costumes to bring smiles to the residents. They loved our kitty cat and mouse!
21. I wrote a letter to my in-laws thanking them for raising their son to be such a wonderful man, husband and father. I included a gift card for their favorite Italian restaurant.
22. The police station near where Addy goes to school has not had the best community support lately. Addy and I got up really early on my birthday to get the officers bagels and delivered them to their station with a letter thanking them for keeping the area around Addy's school safe. Addy loved getting to meet the police officer!
23. I dropped off donut holes to the security guard shack at the entrance to our development.
24. On our trip to Annapolis we stopped at Panera for lunch. I had a $15 gift card that I handed to the people walking in the door as we walked out and told them with a big smile to enjoy their lunch.
25. I left quarters on a vending machine so someone could enjoy a snack later that day.
26. I bought a Starbucks gift card and dropped it along with a card on a woman's book she sat on a bench on the docks in Annapolis during our weekend away while she was distracted taking pictures of the boats in the water.
27. I also gave a Card and Starbuck's gift card to an on duty police officer while we were in Annapolis.
28. I dropped off dog treats in a mailbox for a man down the street that always walks past our house with his pups and always offers a smile and friendly hello.
29. I stopped in a bookstore and headed to the children's section. I found a little boy looking at a Ninja Turtles book and handed him a five dollar bill to buy it. His mom looked at me like I was crazy. The boy looked at me like I was awesome.
30. My favorite part of the project. I started a chain letter of kindess for our community. I dropped off a gift of lottery tickets to one neighbor and some homemade baked banana bread to another. I included a letter encouraging them to pay the kindness forward to two additional neighbors each... and so on, and so on. I'm ecstatic to see how many people are touched by this kindness project in our development between now and Christmas.
I saw a quote once, and I can't remember who it was by but it went something like "The greatest judge of one's character is how you treat someone who can do nothing for you." I love that. I feel so fortunate to have been able to involve my children in some of these acts, to begin to teach them at such a young age that kindness is not only important, but imperative. I want them to know that it's important to be nice and giving and compassionate to people who can't pay them back. I want them to know that kindness is contagious and that good things really do happen to good people.
Karma. I do believe it exists. This week, amidst all of my acts of kindness, I found a very special bracelet that I lost nearly two years ago. It turned up out of nowhere. Karma? My birthday get-a-way? 70 degrees and sunny on the first day of November in the Northeast. Nearly unheard of. Perfection. Coincidence?
My 30th birthday was perfect. Not because my bracelet found its way back to me, not because we enjoyed perfect weather on our weekend away. No, none of those reasons. My birthday was perfect because I spent it blessing other people. This one will be hard to top.....
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