Have you ever been the recipient of a random act of kindness? I have.
Have you ever been the giver of a random act of kindness? I have.
Both are blessings.
In today's world kids are takers. They want, want, want and get, get,get. It is their norm. So, as I have been making changes to the get, get, get part of their lives over the past year I decided to introduce to them an even better feeling... give, give, give. In some totally random conversation last week (it works better that way) I said to them, "Hey girls, do you know what it means to be kind?" They gave me their answers. Then I asked them if they knew what it was to show kindness. "Be nice to others," was their response. So, I explained that for the month of November we would work as a team to spread random and not-so-random acts of kindness. Let's face it, with three kids you can only get so random. :)
They were intrigued.
I simply explained that we would do things that showed kindness to others. "Like how?" they asked me. I gave the best example I had right off the top of my head. "For instance," I said, "we could be in the drive thru at Starbucks and when we paid for our order we would pay for the person behind us too." They wanted to go to Starbucks right away. And the next day, and the next day after that.
Just when you wonder if what you talk to your kids about at the tiny age of 4 ever gets past the "What are my Barbies doing right now?" spot in their brain...they do something like this. Olivia and I went to pick Addison up from school Friday and her teacher was so excited and says, "Mom, did you see Addison got an award today?" "No!" I respond. She had it posted on the board and a little sticky so everyone would know what she did too.
The teacher explains to me that Addison chose to be the line leader as her job for that day but when she took her place at the front of the line she said, "Oh Miss Laura! Malaki should be the line leader today since it is his special (last) day!" She reported that she immediately left the front of the line and he came forward. Now that is what I am talking about!
Fast forward 24 hours now and we are driving as a family to the beach to meet up with our friends and take some pictures. Every time we do this we have to pay $3 each way. We pulled up to the booth, spoke to the nice little lady taking the money, and drove away. No sooner did we do that then Olivia says, "Mom! We should have paid for the next car in line!" I tell her that is a great idea and we will do it on the way home. Now let me interject that I absolutely cringe every time we pay this fee, but we are thankful that we can and we are spreading kindness. So, we slowly pull up to the toll booth that night. In the pitch black Olivia rolls down her window, money in hand. We stop. She says, "We are spreading acts of kindness and we want to pay for the next person in line." She was smiling ear to ear.
It made that man smile bigger then Olivia. We pulled off rather slowly and the girls whipped their heads around to see the person behind us with their hand out of their window ready to pay only to be a little confused and then drive away without paying! They have never been that thrilled opening any gift that was given to them. It made their day!
So, keep in touch with us. You never know where we will spread kindness next!
I hope you are inspired in this month of thanks to spread some kindness, random or not. It will make someone's day and grow your heart forever!
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