Category: Random Acts of Kindness

Crossed paths with Tom from Perkins Printing on Elm St in New Haven totally by chance. After yoga class and a bite to eat, I slowly re-entered the world and observed a man strategically placing new lettering on Café Java’s windows. I recall my sister Lynne, the business minded sibling, suggesting I advertise my blog on my camper. Now after 9 years of going to this yoga studio, I never noticed, or really paid attention, to this printing place right under my nose at 50 feet away; so much for thinking I am astute. After selecting the color and the Mary Tyler Moore font, as Tom coined the phrase, I returned a few days later for the big day. Now parallel parking patty wagon is challenging without power steering; so the moments of parking at the corner is serendipitous. Though a 60 second dash to announce patty wagon has arrived and ready for the big day to blogvertise; ran out and ouch, a $50 ticket. Well, the Mary Tyler Moore font took the edge off as I felt like tossing a hat in the air to make it all better. (Boomers get that). Ironically, the next day I see my yoga buddy has a parking meter down to 2 minutes. Knowing her elderly mom was with her and they were delayed at yoga; I added a few coins to add to her time. Now I believe most people do these random acts of kindness and that my gesture was not so magnanimous. However, I share these moments to reinforce how the big things in life are really the little things. I am gently reminding us how good it feels to be kind  and create an energy shift. The other day my cousin’s daughter, Kayleigh, was so excited that a random person paid for her lunch. Keep it going. Peace on.

One doesn’t have to look far for an opportunity to engage in a random act of kindness. I was at C-Town grocery store in my neighborhood getting my two favorite men, Ben and Jerry, Cherry Garcia of course, when a brother and sister in line ahead of me couldn’t use their moms debit card. The boy was about 8 and the girl about 12. The sister ran home to get her mom; the boy stayed behind with the groceries. After 2 minutes I asked the cashier the total for their grocery bill. It was $34.20. I gave her my debit card and said it was on me. The little boy said “No Miss, No! You don’t need to do that.” I told the boy to pay it forward. Tomorrow at school be kind to someone who might be getting picked on and we will call it even. He said “Ok Miss, I will be nice to someone at school tomorrow; thank you for the groceries.”

Now this mail package was in my condo complex for about 3 weeks and was obviously going nowhere since it was delivered to the wrong street. I just assumed the package would be picked up after a certain amount of time and brought to the proper recipient. Not the case. Patty wagon to the rescue. Because of this random act of kindness, I had the pleasure of meeting Tom, an 89 year old man in my neighborhood. It was truly serendipitous. We have become friends. More to follow with Tom.

Mr Rogers Documentary is being released titled, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” What perfect timing to revisit the concept of being neighborly to one another. It doesn’t take much. Even the Ebenezer’s in our neighborhood need love too. Please write in and let me know what you have done or observed someone doing. It’s time!

My sister Lynne made this video with film student Fitzgerald Wong about 8 years ago in NYC. It brought tears to my eyes, not only because that’s who she really is, but also because I envision this is how the world would be a better place; if we all took a moment to help out the brothers and sisters we don’t know. I’m not talking about BIG acts, I’m talking about those little moments in our day where if we just gave a helping hand or made a kind statement to a stranger, a random act of generous emotion would vibrate our space differently. We don’t have to look far or even look for it; the opportunities are in front of us daily.

So, because of Lynne, I am adding this “PEACE MOVEMENT” to my blog. Instead of RAGE-ing on, let’s turn RAGE into RANDOM ACTS OF GENEROUS EMOTION. I will chronicle the simplicity of the changes we can all make by using positive gestures and creating an energy shift. This is how my family has always rolled, however by capturing REAL moments, not staged for the camera, I hope to do my part to raise awareness and make the world (at least New Haven County,smile) a more harmonious place.

Feel free to add your comments of any acts you may have witnessed or one you initiated. Keep it REAL and keep it going.

Peace out and onward