Weird Summer

This is certainly the most weird summer I have ever experienced.  We are all going through a lot of difficult moments.  Are you finding it harder to be kind to others?  That certainly is understandable, but let's not let the situation get the better of us.  Kindness can get us through difficult moments!

She lived to a ripe old age

Over the weekend, Olivia de Havilland passed away at the age of 104.  Nice long life, huh?  One of the things we always measure about people is how long they are here.  The obituary says "She lived to a ripe old age."  But wait, there is so much more.  "She was a kind and loving person."  That is what we all should work toward.  It's not the how long that should be important.  I have always been encouraged by those wonderful words from Pippin:  "And don't you see I want my life to be something more than long."

Kind year

2020 won't be remembered as a kind year.  Oh my!  So many terrible things.  Hopefully we will be seeing some good around the corner, and of course we can control a lot of the good ourselves.  We can help spread around that kindness!

thankful

I am so very thankful for the people who were part of my medical procedure on Friday and who supported me in a (virtual) charity event yesterday.  There are so many wonderful kind people in this world and I am thankful to have so many of them in my life!

Close up

I got to see lots of kindness close up yesterday when I went for a medical procedure.  So many wonderful caring people.  That was very encouraging.  Oh and my surgical event went well and all is well with my health.

Kind health care workers

We think of nurses and doctors and all health care workers as people who are kind, but sadly that isn't always the case.  A nursing assistant at the hospital where I volunteer, got talking with a patient about a Filipino band.  I joined in the conversation and the patient was all smiles.  Then the aide brought out her phone and she actually had a video of the band we had been talking about.  Lots more smiles followed.  Kindness is such great medicine for healing.

Good summer

Are you having a good summer?  Yes, it sure is an odd one.  Hopefully things will be getting better soon.  Let us continue to be kind to each other.

ice cream

Strawberries and vanilla ice cream and whipped cream - I'm not sure why that popped into my head.  Oh!  I remember the wonderful ice cream socials that used to happen every July when I was growing up.  It was mostly a chance to hang out with lots of people (something we can't do these days) and to eat lots of yummies (something we also probably shouldn't be doing).  Be kind to yourself.  Indulge in something that makes you happy.  Ice cream?  Perhaps.

a list

So my friends, let's list some things.  Tell me (in the comments below) what you think is the kindest thing someone could possibly do.  We need some special ideas, in addition to just being nice.

Do you remember the Story Lady?

She may have been called something different, but there was probably a story lady, someone who read to you in school when you were little, or perhaps it was in the library or a local community center.  It might have been a teenager or an older person.  It might even have been a man.  Oh and reading for others isn't limited to children.  Reading to the blind or the elderly is pretty wonderful too.  While some of these folks might be paid, many are volunteers.  What an incredible act of kindness, huh?  Even while we are social distancing, we can still read - try doing a video chat or even just over the phone.

In the mail

Yesterday in the mail there was a gift - actually several gifts together in the same envelope.  There was a gift card included, with the words Just because written on it.  I was actually moved to tears.  I'm always talking about kindness and here was such a wonderful example.  Oh my!  Many thanks to a super person who truly made my day!

We hold these truths to be self-evident

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness." -from the Declaration of Independence, approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776

July

Well the past few months certainly have been odd.  Now we begin a brand new month.  July is here, the month of our nation's birthday!  May this be a month of kindness for us all and may things improve in our lives.