Acts of Random Kindness to You

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I have been watching the new series called, The Food Revolution which is hosted by well known chef Jamie Oliver. He has gone into a city in West Virginia and is trying to change the way they think about and prepare foods.  He has been really smart about it by hitting the media as well as beginning with the school systems which will make lasting changes for years to come.

As some of you may or may not know, I have struggled with my weight for my entire life. It wasn’t fun, but as a child it could be absolutely horrendous and now I watch one of my nephews beginning the struggle with the same exact issues. He is a good boy and he is fun, but he is struggling. Maybe Jamie Oliver will come to his school and help out, but if not, it is up to the rest of us to show kids the right way.

The show is on ABC on Friday nights at 8pm EST and I would suggest you watch it with your entire family. I think it will start some great discussions and there is nowhere better to start than in your own home.

I first became acquainted with Peter Joseph Swanson on the Gather website. Peter is not only a very personable man, but he is a talented writer. How do I know? I recently read his book titled, Hollywood Sinners and I loved it.

This books is Book One of a trilogy and of course I am hoping my husband is smart enough to know I want to continue the series and I will find the next book in my stocking. I think what I liked best about this book is that it was a little different. It wasn’t a typical modern day romance novel, there was a touch of history, some offbeat humor, and a great story line.

So, are you looking for a fun and different kind of read this holiday season? If so, then visit Peter Joseph Swanson’s book page and get to ordering as time is running out and you won’t be disappointed !

I have decided to add a new category to the blog. I am a book fanatic and forever wanting to share a good book with friends, so I have decided to start doing that here as well. Feel free to discuss the book in question or to make suggestions of your own.

There is nothing in the world like a good book and it seems that sharing them with people is a way to not only help the authors of the books, but to also give back to those of you that have taken the time to come here. So, watch for the reviews in the coming weeks as I highlight some of the books I have read.

Well, it might be an early one, but it is upon us once again. I actually love Easter as it is a sign of a new season, new animal life, and generally better weather, but all that aside, there is more I like about Easter. At Easter, the focus of things changes somewhat for people. Their spirits are a little lighter and things suddenly don’t seem so dark and gloomy.

If you are of a particular faith, Easter can mean much more than even those things I mentioned above.  There are even some faiths that don’t celebrate Easter at all. Many people that I keep in touch with on some of my other sites have been kind enough to share with me about their faiths and views. I think it is important that we understand where other people are coming from and I think it makes a more tolerant world in general.

So, whatever Easter has in store for you, take a minute and think about a situation where you could be or even could have been more tolerant of someone that was different than you. Do your part to make this sometimes chaotic world a better place to be. Happy Easter to each of my friends and for those that don’t celebrate Easter, Happy Spring !!

Many people seem to think that in order to be considered an act of random kindness, it has to be something big or public, but I am here to say that isn’t the case. I thought of this post today while I was with my husband. On one of the busiest roads in the small city near here, there was a lady that had obviously been trying to get out of a gas station and back into traffic for quite some time.

I said to Tom, “Let that car in, Honey.” At which point, he reminded me that the traffic was horrendous. I simply said, “It is the nice thing to do, we aren’t in a hurry.” Of course, he let the car in because that is the type of person he tends to be. However, it got us talking about all the little chances we overlook to be nice in life. Life being life, he might not have even noticed that car if I hadn’t pointed it out.

So, don’t think globally or big, instead think of the little things you can do. If the wind blows the neighbors garbage can into the road and you have some time, pick it up and put it back on their curb. Maybe you notice someone struggling with their grocery cart in the wind or bad weather. Got a minute? Stop and help them if you are able. These little things will all add up to making the world a kinder and nice place. It will only happen with one act of random kindness at a time.

Imagine waking up one morning in a little north country town and having the free library destroyed by fire. That is exactly what happened in the small community of Depauville, NY. Maybe it is the reader in me or maybe it is the teacher, but whatever it is, it made me sad.

I hadn’t heard much about this little library in quite some time and then last night on our local news, they finally mentioned that it is repaired and ready to roll with one exception. There are still no books. Oh, not to worry, they are working on establishing some grants and funds and probably are just plain happy to be back on their feet, but in the meanwhile, the shelves remain bare and the library closed.

So, I began talking today with a few of my students. It isn’t my community and it isn’t their community, but it is a north country community nonetheless. I have a few extra sets of brand new books that I had purchased and received and the light bulb went on. So, my students looked up the address to the little library and filled out the envelope in preparation of sending them some books to put on their shelves.

These books by themselves won’t reopen the little Depauville Free Library, but they will let the good people there know that we are thinking of them and wishing them well. Did you find something kind to do today? Big or small, remember it is all about making the world a better place one act of random kindness at a time.

I don’t think I have mentioned in prior posts that I have the good fortune of working with children. However, even better than that is the fact that I don’t work with just any children, I work with high school age kids that have a few learning difficulties. This is an awesome job because they know what it means to struggle and often times, some of the toughest ones in the classroom are the kindest to the underdogs in the building. Let me share a couple of examples.

The other day we had a fire drill and as we headed down the three flights of stairs, I somehow got separated from a young lady that struggles with her vision. As the hundreds of students pushed down the stairwell, I was worried she was going to stumble. However, no sooner than I worried,  a young man also from my classroom did something amazing. This young man, turned around and handed the girl the back of his shirt. Slowly, her guided her down the rest of the stairs and out to the parking lot without incident. There he stood in the parking lot with this little bitty thing still holding tight to his shirt. He never asked her to let go or even indicated that he had done something so kind. He just stood there. I was so touched that I teared up.

Another incident several years ago still stays with me as well. I had this boy that was repeating his senior year and to put it mildly, he was the toughest case I had ever met. He had no parents, for all intents and purposes was homeless, but I knew he had something in him that nobody had gotten to yet. He became my mission that year. Throughout the year, somehow this boy began to care. Oh, he could still be a royal pain, but he started doing things like helping substitute teachers out when I was away or reading things to another student if I got busy across the room and they were struggling. He took kids under his wing that were overweight or that didn’t have friends and looked out for them in the cafeteria. In short, his heart began to shine. He graduated that year and people were amazed that he had made it.  I was amazed that nobody had noticed before what this young man was capable of being.

In short, don’t sell kids short in the game of kindness. They will engage in whatever is modeled for them. You don’t have to nag or preach to them, simply show them kindness and then stand back to watch the world become a better place for all of us.