What’s going on where you live?
Many times, a day, I check into various events, look to things happening in the future and make my plans accordingly. My filter for a lot of these things is related to my children and grandchildren. (At this time of year, it will be planning for holiday and Christmas related events and places.) I tend to lean towards things that pull from different groups and center on bringing family and community together. (Of course, they have to be positive in nature, or promoting positivity in a community.) {{more}}
And while there are lots of things to grab my attention, I tend to home in on what the long-term effects will be. (Will they remember, will it change things for them, etc…)
I ask myself often, “what is it going on where I live?). Just this week, a friend of mine posted about a local restaurant that needed a hood system AND the AC. Guess what? A donor stepped up and wrote a check for the whole thing!!! (Be looking for the story…) Why do I look? Because I want to see good things happen where I live. And where you live.
Certainly, there is no handbook on a community being kinder or more positive. Those lessons often begin at home, are discovered in school and sometimes from friends.
I am 64 years old. I could tell you hundreds of stories of others helping me, become who I am. (As well, as the occasional one of learning those “not so positive” things! ) My father taught me about sports, mechanics and carpentry. My mother taught me to ski and to cook. Both my parents loved camping and exploring. A friend of the family, Brad, was an old inventor and he showed me how radios, TVs and motors worked. Other friends helped me with music.
Add in Cub Scouts, Little League, Biddy Basketball, school and Camp Keewaydin and more things became who I was. I attended lots of community events, parades and gatherings over those years.
I do not think “my generation” is better, but I do think we know the value of community and family and have insight into what might make things work for the best sometimes. Admittedly, those topics will probably include sports, family and community.
Over the last week or so, I have seen the following headlines from smaller towns. (All of these are available on our site.)
- ‘Knit Wits’ Club for Seniors Warming Hearts Through Knitting
- ‘Be Kind! Just Try It! I Will!’: 98-Year-Old Leads Glenwood, Minn., Kindness Movement
- Two boys offer hot chocolate, hugs to raise money for Cleveland officer battling cancer
- 4th Graders Inspired by Sick Classmate Launch Toy Drive
- ‘If you see a need, try to fill it’: Wisconsin teen hopes to inspire others
- NJ Teen Started Nonprofit to Provide Free Halloween Costumes to Kids in Need.
- How a 17-Year Old Is Helping to Feed 12,000 Homeless People
- Wistful Facebook Comment Leads Dozens of Volunteers to Fulfill Bucket List Wish for Woman With MS
- One man’s mission to bring music to sick kids
- In Deltona, Pride Elementary students spread kindness to the world
That is from 1 week of positive news! I selected these, because they are not national figures, but more like “the neighbor next door” stories. I know that every town has one of these at any given time. Perhaps my favorite is the 98-year-old woman who is challenging folks to kindness. Just today, while shopping with my grandson, I saw a young woman helping an elderly woman get a cart and more. She had seen her struggling and walked from her car to help. A random act of kindness from a heart looking to help.
I read these stories and I thought if one person, read one of these stories and decided to do that in their school, neighborhood or community. What could happen with that? Purposeful ACTS of Kindness. Sensible ACTS of beauty. Paying it forward. Would that be WOW?
I would like to challenge our readers to pick one of these OR come up with their own creation and LET US KNOW what it is, so we can share it with others. Send us the story! #ICOULDDOTHAT
There is plenty of stuff that pushes our buttons, or we just scroll to the next story, never letting it “get to us”. I choose to not let thoughts like this not escape me.
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I look forward to hearing from you.
