beyond the box…
September 3, 2010
Cocoons are necessary, but wings are so much better…
There is safety in the box to transform into whatever it is you are meant to me, and there is time to try on and settle into your most beautiful self, but the out, the outside is where it’s at. Trusting in your ability and putting it all out there, come what may…gather your courage and do it. You have everything you need…
Been taking so many growing risks lately…and it feels scary and really, really good.
our family totally geeked out over watching “Mrs. Whittles” (i have NO idea where that name came from) make her chrysalis and hatch this week, the wonder of nature is never wasted on this crew. I think Jorge was the most excited. Fly on ole’ girl!
the kindness tree and west coast goodness…
September 1, 2010
all photos by Chris Sneddon
Oh my, I am SO in love! Check out what Chris, the kids and her friends did at their school to go along with their Guerrilla Goodness Sidewalk chalk love. A kindness tree!!! Isn’t it the greatest thing you’ve ever seen?!!!
Love, love, love the idea and all your kindness friends!
AND I just got word when teachers in 2 schools in RVA asked their administrators to do the GG sidewalk love mission, the schools loved it and decided to take on the project themselves! Woooohhhhoooooo!
In case you missed it, I got to meet the most lovely reporter , Angela Pellerano and her photographer Ammah from CBS6 here in Richmond. We instantly connected and talked food, family and kindness….*sigh*, it was so nice. Anyway, she did a story about Pennies in Protest and the amazing thing that happened when love showed up. You can catch it here.
guerrilla goodness: sidewalk chalk love (it’s back!)
August 31, 2010
It’s back!!! You may remember when lots of folks ALL over the country headed out with sidewalk chalk to encourage the kids of their cities on the first day of school. Well, we are doin’ it again and would love to have you join us!
here’s the deal:
1. Grab some bright sidewalk chalk.
2. You head out with friends, family, kids, dogs, grandmothers, artists, whoever…and write positive messges to kids on the sidewalks in front of the elementary schools for the first day of school. Here are some things you can write:
Have a GREAT first day of school!!
It’s going to be a awesome year!
You look fantastic!
We believe in you!
if you want more ideas, check out the pictures of what other people have done here.
3. Go home blissed out with the kindness high!
4. If you are a kindness kid, be super quiet when you are walking to school the next day and everyone around you is talking about the cool art out front… and smile.
5. If you are a Richmonder and want to participate, reach out to your local school administration and send them a link to this post for permission. If just the idea makes you tired or sweat, contact me and I’ll do it for you! patience@kindnessgirl.com
6. If you decide to do this project or blog about it, please leave a comment so we can highlight your kindness work and watch it grow! Don’t forget to send me pictures and I’ll post them or simply add them to our GG Flickr Pool.
Other folks chalkin’ it up:
Richmond:
Holton Elementary School- Mrs. Hooker’s First Grade Class
Swansboro Elementary
Munford Elementary
Gordon Elementary
Richmond Montessori
Clover Hill Elementary
Crestwood Elementary
Washington D.C.
Los Angeles
Days Creek, OR
oh, this girl…
August 30, 2010
This girl is driving me mad these days…she is just as wonderful as exasperating at the moment…and it can’t be any other way really. It makes me tired and happy all at the same time.
guerrilla goodness: got you in my back pocket
August 30, 2010
It’s one of my phrases to my friends whenever they offer me help, care, or encouragement.
“SO glad I got you in my back pocket!” …like they are close by if I need them, or I can feel ya even when we are not together. It made perfect sense to me that this particular mission needed to be a friend mission… so I asked Chris of Shutter Sisters , Everyday Heartbeats and general Kindness Maven fame if she would be my partner to tear up some East coast/West coast kindness and to my delight she said “Yes!”.
So here we go:
My good friend Wren told me this amazing story about junior high, facebook and an old bomber jacket. She had borrowed her best friend’s bomber jacket in the 8th grade for a weekend. Before she gave it back she slipped a note in the inside pocket telling her that someday when she found it Wren hoped she would know how much she cared about her and their friendship…well 16 years later, her friend found the note and Wren on Facebook. Isn’t that great?
So the next day after I read this story, I was shopping for some pants for Jorge at the thrift store because we all know it is my home away from home. When I brought them home and gave them to J to try on, he reached in the pocket and found a $20 bill. Hello take out!!! It was awesome and instantly gave me the next GG mission idea.
It had to involve treasures to be found AND friends!
Here is your mission:
1. Call a friend right now and invite him or her to do this kindness mission with you. Kids can pick friends too! Pick local or far away, it will be fun for everyone…
2. Decide how daring you want to be with your kindness- all levels count!
3. Pick a treasure to hide. Here are some ideas:
a note
a $5 in a small envelope
a gift card
tiny journal
movie tickets
some stickers or silly bandz for kids!
Hide a treasure in a pocket.
4. Any kind of pocket will do- pants, shirts, bag, or even drop in a shoe. Chris had an awesome idea to leave the surprise in some school supplies at the store- pencil boxes, backpacks, etc- check it!
5. Where? you can do this just in your house in a closet near you, or head to a thrift store, mall, etc. Anywhere someone will find your love and kindness.
6. Include this new fancy square little green card (like the one in the picture) to your kindness so we might even be able to invite others to join us and pass it on. You can download the PDF here.
7. Show us your stealthy goodness. Upload your pictures to the Guerrilla Goodness Flickr Pool and join our Facebook group so we can all see the kindness spread and grow!
So excited…ready, set, go!
guerrilla goodness goes super guerrilla…
August 28, 2010
stickers… cards… t-shirts coming soon…I can barely stand it!
things we do…
August 28, 2010
The things we do to keep four kids going during a ridiculously long restaurant dinner:
1. Let them order root beer and drink it out of frosty mugs.
2. Make LOTS of toasts.
3. Order an appetizer because Abeulo wants to go all out and the dinner will take forever to come.
4. Play round the table child passing even though you are so touched out, surrender, laugh and take 2 kids.
5. Thank your lucky stars you work for PBS and have the SuperWhy sticker hook-up.
6. Let the kids actually put the stickers on your face like body art at a low point in the wait.
7. Be super excited over your tiny origami set find at the thrift store, make about 25 tiny paper cranes. Kind of wish you lived near this amazing girl so you could find one of hers.
8. Love pizza more than you ever imagined because the long wait with children was plenty of time to dream about the pie goodness. It was worth it.
9. Let the children make funny faces on each other and take about 234 pictures.
10. Let the baby sit on the table.
11. Order more dessert than you should, let the kids overload, you know, because it’s bedtime and you’ve been running a toddler frat house all summer anyway.
12. Soak in the family goodness.
no language required…
August 27, 2010
His English is all but gone, just a few words here and there. He isn’t sure how it happened exactly, but said he just can’t remember anymore. Maybe it was his retirement this year, or no daily practice but for whatever the reason, he is returning to where he started. The language that is closest to his heart.
As I try to jog my own mind and revive my Spanish, I wonder exactly how I am going to do the two week long visit. I pretend we are in an exotic land on a sort of linguistic adventure, even though it is just my kitchen. While I fumble through, my daughter seems to have no problem at all.
He sits beside her and she brings him her beloved red boots. She climbs on his lap as if she’s done it a million times before even though this is only the second time she has ever seen him in her short little life. He gently slides each foot in and she wiggles off, and then holds out her hand…read the rest here.
the wells of kindness…
August 26, 2010
The sun comes through my window every morning, sometimes the sky all deep shades of pink and others a hazy gray depending on the day. I lie awake so much earlier than intended but happy to have a quiet moment that selfishly feels all mine with her beauty, watching the light creep down the wall. Lately, it seems almost every morning my heart has been milling, sorting, thinking about the wells of kindness. The new and deeper wells that have crossed my path as a dear friend recently reminded me.
The kind I was afraid might not be there at all and ended up being deeper than I ever imagined.
The kind I am looking down into even in my own self doubt.
The kind that are messy yet so very full.
It is the dark side of kindness, all of my journey has been asking me to hold it, turn it over in my hands over and over again, to find a way to stand and believe in it, to know it deep in my bones.
…and I do, gratefully, I do.
the blessing tree…a how-to
August 23, 2010
It was a flock of blessings for a dear and amazing friend who will be a bride very soon. A group of women gathered to bless her way, her life, her great love. I made a blessing tree inspired by her most lovely invitations. Lucy was in total love with something to hang her wishes and art on, to look at them over and over. It makes me want to make one for us.
I was in love with the art from the invitation (by Noah from Another Limited Rebellion design) , so much so it has been hanging on our art wall in breakfast nook/art studio. Big deal people, only the really special stuff makes it to the wall. There is just something about the birds, what they bring and take away, and making a home in a tree sounds dreamy to this girl.
I bought a simple clay pot at the thrift store and painted it brown. A nature walk at a local park was the perfect place to find the “tree”. I hoped to find just one perfect branch but I ended up combining 3 together to make it work. I tied the branches together with a plastic tie used for electrical wire and covered it with rafia. The tiny heart was “The Giving Tree” inspired. (even though I kinda do not like that book. such a moocher, that boy!)
A styrafoam block held the tree in place and I covered the top with a round piece of brown paper. The birds were cut out over a dreamy night by myself after all had gone to bed, just me, the dog, some scissors and Netflix. It was pure loveliness. You can find the bird template here, I have no printer since the move so I traced it right from the light of my screen.
Each woman wrote a blessing or a wish and hung the bird in the tree. It was ridiculously sweet.
This is a great project for inviting some intentional goodness into your space. Kids will love writing their own wishes, love notes, blessings too. Seasons are a great reminder to turn over something new on the tree, all kinds of earthy goodness and creations can make it unique. So now I am off to make a tiny version for our family…may birds of blessings find a tree near you today too!
10 simple ways to start kind living…
August 20, 2010
It was the biggest lesson of the year for this girl. You’ll probably laugh but it was a total ephiphany to me. Kindness isn’t just something we do, it’s a way of life. It’s more than missions, strangers, and “trying”…when we practice it, it has the power to take over and find it’s way into every part of us, even the places we are guarding. Sometimes though, it’s hard to know where to start, what do you do?
Here are a few ideas of ways you can invite kindness into your everyday life. Some of these thing you might already do and others may feel like a stretch, either way, take what serves you and please add your ideas in the comment section.
1. Talk to a stranger. Oh, the stranger stories I could tell you! Stepping out of ourselves and engaging someone we don’t know often allows kindness to unfold, sometimes the simple act of listening is kindness itself. It may be someone you even see everyday, a neighbor, the checkout girl, an elderly man, someone waiting in the bank teller line. Offer to hold a door, or a pen, a skip in line, or a simple, “How’s your day going?” are good icebreakers.
2. Figure out which side you need to start on. To fully understand and experience kindness, you need to figure out which side you need to be on, giving or receiving, both are equally as important. If you tend to be a giver, it might be time to try on saying yes when someone offers to help, or no to the latest commitment put before you. You “givers” know what I’m talking about, opportunities are around every corner. Receiving can be difficult for this kind of soul but really important to widen your scope of kindness.
If you are often on the receiving end, now is great moment to be intentional in your kindness growth. Start with something simple like offer to do the dishes, or leave someone you care about a treat for them to find. Pick something every day to do, big or small, just be conscious about it and let the kindness high come.
3. Play, play, play. Some of the best kindness is rooted in play. When we stand in a place of joy, we unlock our desire to extend it and share with all around. When was the last time you played tag, sang super loud in your car, had a pillow/tickle fight, rode in a go-kart, went ridiculously high on a swing, danced in your living room? If you can’t remember, bump this right to the top of your kindness priority list. This is particularly important with kids, play is a way directly into the hearts of children. If you want to be kind to a kid, play together. The sillier the better.
4. Make an acts of kindness list or jar. Often times, we are sitting in kindness and have absolutely no idea. Becoming aware of the kindness already happening invites even more and is habit forming. The kids in my son’s preschool class were having a particularly hard year being kind and respectful to each other when the teachers decided to keep an acts of kindness list. The kids were agents looking for kindness already happening and would report for the acts to be added to the list. The room started to fill with lists, it might have been the loveliest thing I have ever seen. Create a list on your fridge or write the acts on strips of paper and put in a jar to be read each week. You’ll be amazed by what happens.
5. Return to nature. Nothing rearranges my soul than picking a fresh berry, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, being in a field, low to the ground or in a forest of bushes melts me on multiple levels. The only thing better is when I get to be the delivery girl after and share nature’s goodness. A close second is hiking with my kids to our favorite part of the river, watching them play for hours while I piddle in the water calf deep. Fresh air, green things, the sun on your face and breeze at your back is the universe’s kindness to us. When we are connected to our senses in a deep, old way, we return to the most basic kindness. We are then inspired to care for both the earth and each other.
…to be cont.
turning hatred into kindness…
August 17, 2010
You may remember long ago when The Westboro Baptist Church came to my city…some dear friends and I found ourselves in the middle of something quite amazing, hatred was turned into kindness. Our wonderful city did it, you can watch our story above and feel the kindness magic.*
You can learn more about Pennies in Protest here.
*finally, I finally finished the video after 3753 stops and starts. It’s done!
girl goodness…
August 15, 2010
Things that make me smile:
this girl, this face, her girl power:
“Mom, we are the girls and when we get big together we are gonna have a big girl party and dress in diamonds because we are best friends, right?” she said while brushing our teeth together.
Me: “Oh yes! …and when you get big, I’m going to take you to New York City!”
Lucy: “And when you get big, I’m gonna take you on a playdate.”
Me: “Perfect, I would love that!”
Lucy: “Yeah! Pinky swear because we are the girls!”
and we linked pinkies and kissed our thumbs…forevah!
guerrilla goodness love and lovahs…
August 13, 2010
Just soaking in all the Guerrilla Goodness flying around these days…nothing makes me happier. Check out my GG soulsister Chris and her kindness work above, we’re gonna do an east coast and west coast bang up power mission together one of these days.
Oh….look at my new friend Kristin, the lovely, lovely artist…she hid these all over her friend’s house. Aren’t they amazing and don’t you wish you found one in your shoe? I wish we could sit at a table one night and make pretty things while we tell our stories, Kristin just feels like that type of friend.
photo by Kim Klassen
Kim Klassen, *happy sigh* , Kim is one of those crazy inspiring people/artist/sisters who holds a great and safe space for people to explore, try on, dream all the parts of themselves that have been waiting to come out. Check out her Inspiration Staycation filled with kindness, her cafe… mostly her most amazing way of being in the world.
For you local-yokels …Kate and Kate of Richmondmom.com along with Hands On Greater Richmond are throwing a Back To School Splash gathering school supplies for kids in need. Hop on this goodness, you will be so very glad you did!
on being seen…
August 13, 2010
I took this picture of myself this morning, right at the last second before I snapped all my truth spilled out. I didn’t really intend to look, be so sad but there it was…*sigh* I have been painfully aware this week of how all my issues have held me and my work back this week, held me from taking kindness to places I really want to follow it to. It isn’t the whole story but that part feels really big at the moment.
Call it self protection, fear of failure, but being seen, really seen for all I have and haven’t done, all I am and am not, is something I’ve struggled with for a really long time. Even this blog was intentionally hard to find, I’ve been hiding in some ways I guess. The lesson doesn’t seem to be going away no matter how much I wish it would. So I’m taking the baby steps…pushing myself, just a little, to be okay and open being all the things…to claiming my work and power, yet still carry a fragile, kind of screwed up heart.
what you do when…
August 9, 2010
This is what children do when their parents are working on the 57,000th house project and are STILL unpacking boxes for what feels like 40 forevers…
If you are Lyra, you get into the ice cream AND silly bandz stash, all before 9am…
If you are the boys, you spend hours making very rad Lego pin ball machines and marble games…
If you are Lucy you layer dress up dresses (one just isn’t enough) and make things out of pom poms, like silly noses and pom pom bouquets because all roads lead to flowers anyway.
…besides all the kids watching entirely too much Netflix, in between they fight over while being deliriously happy about swinging as high as they can over the pond on the awesome swing…and if you are Lucy, you sing “I Believe I Can Fly…” off key as loud as you can.
…and lastly you beg your mother to help you make minish and fairy houses for the magical backyard and then when she finally does, you say it’s too hard yet still give her very specific instructions and fantasy education until completion. It was seriously fun…I must make more.
just another weekend at the Kindness house…
car bags and gettin’ crafty…
August 7, 2010
Every now and then I bust out with the crafty, it’s usually out of need for a solution to a problem. This time happened to be about the state of the car. It is near impossible to keep a car clean with four kids, unless you are super-de-duper clean, like you need it clean to be able to think and breathe. I’m not exactly in that crowd but the mess gets on my nerves when it starts to cover the floor.
Hello, car bags…I bought some sheets that I was going to turn into pillows and curtains, they came in an adorable little pouch. After Lucy trying to hustle me for the 57,000th time to take even more junk into the car, I gave her the bag and told her she could take whatever she wanted as long as it fit in the bag. Josiah was close by and asked if he could have a bag too. Before I knew it I was making car bags while the fabric for curtains and pillows got tossed aside. I get sidetracked so easily.
I’m a straight line sewing kind of girl…so this was pretty easy peasy. So if you have a messy car and a savvy four year old, you can make some car bags too.
the boy and his dog…
August 6, 2010
totally realizing I am a dog person this week…who knew? more friend goodness here.
the power of call…
August 4, 2010
I was putting books in a box when the old letter slipped out onto my lap. I’m not much of a pack rat but must have stuck this little gem away a very long time ago. It was a letter from my “Pop”, my grandfather, written to me when I was just five years old.
He was a working class man, a mason, a depression era guy, with deep faith and strong sense of family. I can remember how we sang from hymn books together for hours. He was a gentle nose wiper and always had a hanky in his back pocket which my mom thought was kind of gross. My sister and I would play hairdresser with his thick white hair, he didn’t even mind about a hundred bright clips and ribbons in his shiny mane. He was a legacy kind of man, with a strong presence and a wise word.
He didn’t write letters very often, maybe on some level I knew it was special…even then. It was written on old Current stationary with green butterflies, like the kind my Gram always had in her old desk.
I burst into tears as I read…I didn’t remember it at all, it was like reading it for the first time. I could actually feel the covering over me, one that has been there my whole life but feels more sacred than ever.
Sent in September 1981 when I was 5.
Dear Patience,
This is just a note to thank you for the little book you gave me.
I read it thru, and it was a great story and I enjoyed it very much.
That was very kind of you.
And I pray , all your life, you will try to be kind to people,
no matter who they are or how they treat you.
Thanks again.
Your friend and your
Pop
It all matters, the blessing, one little thank you note to a little girl, the call on an entire life…
moving to the light…
July 31, 2010
It was a dark time, a very dark time, so I made a cave. It had fires and warm blankets, comfort food and a place to hibernate, to talk, to cry, to struggle safely, to heal. The only problem is when spring comes, it’s time to go out, to feel the sun light on your face, to believe in new hope, to take in all that is before you. The cave gave us all she had but it was time to go.
We looked high and low for a new house, a grown up house if you will, with charm AND function. For so long I was the girl who could make anything work and turn nothing into something, it was (and still is) my superpower but somewhere along the way I started to tell myself a story that was all there was for me and all I would ever need. I have to admit, after all the cave dwelling, I needed and wanted things to be easier, I started to want even the things that other people wanted like diswashers and working washers/dryers, a pantry and a new bathroom. All of it felt okay, to need, to want, to invite abundance in.
In the midst of all the looking, a dear friend suggested a house of a mutual acquaintance, a home, not a rental, a rad family moving to their next new adventure. I was reluctant, thinking about how four kids really live in a house but she insisted. As soon as we stepped in the door I knew, I could feel all the house held, all the love that existed from this sweet family, it was a move into the light…it is the kindness house.
There were more hurdles to make it happen, exhausting, draining hurdles but it all started to wash away when we got to the big green house. My desire to have everything just so went into overdrive, so I started writing notes to myself on the little blackboard on my porch. Every box carried through the door came with the reminder that all would be done in just the right time. I decided to leave it there and write a new message every week because sometimes you just need to tell yourself exactly what you need to hear. You don’t have to wait for it, you can give that gift to yourself.
This is the place where babies sit on counters while you cook because you actually have counter space for the first time ever…while you give them treats so they stay out of the batter.
…and kind neighbors bring rice krispie treats for the kids and their latest harvest from their most amazing garden.
…and you sit in your new breakfast nook and write letters to those you left behind and honor all that place gave you.
…and you feel so full to know how you have been carried and held, and overwhelmed by your own story… by the way at every turn something new awaits you to show you even more.
on parenting and happiness…
July 20, 2010
how can this face NOT make you happy?
My husband always adored Bill Cosby and thought he was hilarious. Even as teenagers before marriage and children he would belly laugh over his parenting bits, which were a comical take on his slight annoyance of life with kids who he called “those people”.
As a bright and shiny aspiring preschool teacher and child development major, I was always horrified. My entire life was spent around kids, enjoying their company and investing in their futures. Even though I knew Bill Cosby really probably loved his kids and life, I said a secret prayer that I would never become like that.
Fast forward sixteen years to living in a house with less than 1200 square feet with a dog and four kids, (two of whom are total firecrackers) and on a tight income with both parents working. I am physically and emotionally spent in ways I never really imagined….rest the rest here.
a kindness workshop…
July 18, 2010
boxes for Ding Dong Ditchin’
This week among getting ready for a million other things, I got a minute or two to bail out of the craziness to lead a kindness workshop for kids. It was a brilliant idea by my dear friend Sarah, the class was an auction item to benefit The Sabot School.
It was interesting to watch the kids explore the concept and put some definitions around the word and act. I kind of laughed when at the end when we were reflecting and Sarah asked the kids what they thought kindness was and one student said very plainly,
“It’s the opposite of egocentric.”
She must have been no older than 7 or 8, I burst out laughing, it was a big statement from a kid, from anyone actually. Some parts were hard to connect at times and that is when I was struck by a huge 2×4 from the universe…kindness isn’t just something we do, kindness is a way of life.
…it’s a lovely way of living, so much bigger than us, even in our moments of deep egocentricity, kindness can find a way into our hearts and all the places we need it most…softening and molding us, revealing what is most important.
I’m looking forward to exploring with others how we can lead kind lives, everyday showing us a little more.
guerrilla goodness 13: kid kindness, silly style
July 15, 2010
Sometimes kindness missions just pop out of what seems like no where…the road to no where is lovely I guess. While preparing for a kindness workshop (which I’ll tell you about later), an idea came to me. My kids are obsessed with Silly Bandz , heck, my husband is too, constantly trading the three he has on his arm. I even got a light blue unicorn off him…score! While the fad is probably on it’s way out, kindness squeaked in at the end. She’s wiley and sharp that way.
I asked my kids if they would like to make little bundles of Silly Bandz with a note attached and leave them all over parks in our city. Kid-to-Kid Kindness has to be my favorite of all. They were all over this mission, well, after the initial drama anyway. Lucy was devastated she had to wait more than 20 minutes to start to put them together and pick out her own. She decided to just help herself after I asked her to wait…oh boy. I must tell you there are often hiccups along the way with kindness work, but as Josiah told me today, “You just can’t give up, you have to keep trying.”
So we did…and I realized a few things about doing kindness missions with kids…
1. It’s nice to start with self-kindness. Almost every mission, we offer the same kindness to ourselves before we start. It reminds us there is enough for everyone and invites us to pass it on with full hearts.
2. Not everyone has to participate in every part. Jack had no interest in putting the little sets together but is jazzed to find spots in the park to leave them when we go tomorrow. It’s okay if a family member decides not to join in at all, but usually everyone is called to at least one part. I think mostly because it is a form of play and fun.
3. Everyone is capable, even the baby. Lyra (age 1) scribbled on tags today and I wrote on them, “This is for you! It is an act of kindness! This is the kindness message from the baby-” (with an arrow to her art work). Starting kids young and including them in missions helps them connect the concepts later and more importantly, becomes a way of life. Besides all that, it’s just so sweet.
4. It helps to do it all in one shot, but not neccessary. It’s good for keeping the momentum going and especially because kids so live in the moment. We try to do the mission all together from prep to finish. I have had times where kids were tired and grouchey and we bailed mid- mission and picked up the next day, or even the next week. Go with the flow.
5. After you get in the groove of doing kindness missions, kids are great leaders. I have found my kids have some of the most creative ideas for spreading kindness in the world. They also have great ideas for execution and insight on the heart and pulse of the joy part of our collective work.
So we are off to the park tomorrow to share in this Silly Bandz kid kindness…hope your missions are sweet and bring you a great joy like they have for us!
an open heart…
July 15, 2010
This might be the most courageous act of all, to keep an open heart. Allowing all the parts of you to trust, in yourself, in what’s before you, in what can be…with arms stretched out, hands ready, the light ahead.
kindness for me…
July 11, 2010
When a six year old who doesn’t even know you decides you might need some kindness, it pretty much melts your heart in ways you didn’t know possible. Gayle Smith and her sweet daughter set out to offer me a little kindness as part of their Ding Dong Ditch mission. You can check out the very awesome video of their adventure and gift to me here.
The bread and sundried tomato pesto might have been the yummiest thing I’ve had all year…anything mixed with that much intentional care and kindness always tastes better. I was so humbled and touched…I never really connect the work I’m doing until kindness finds her way to me, it’s a wonder everytime. I’m completely undone by it…and in awe. Thank you Gayle and Margaret for making my week, and closing out The Great Ding Dong Ditch with such a bang!
farm goodness…
July 10, 2010
I have this fantasy of living on a farm on a beautiful piece of land…working hard, caring for all around me, focusing on sustaining, thriving, living life. I’m sure it isn’t all it is cracked up to be but I must say wandering this farm on the island was pretty dreamy…
this little guy followed me around the barn…
you can see the rest here…
the grat-i-dad challenge…
July 9, 2010
It was a quick dig, something slightly critical about his parenting in the middle of a discussion. We were in the thick of everyday life, probably both needing a break. I was tired and annoyed but the truth is, if he had said it to me it would have been a way bigger deal. We talked it out and came to some conclusions but the next morning I woke up and wondered. I wondered if he knows how much I appreciate and respect him as a man and a father. I wondered if I don’t tell him enough. I wondered if he even knows these things about himself. I have found wondering is a good invitation to act, to find out….read the rest here…and join the challenge!
doin’ the ding dong ditch…
July 6, 2010
I gotta tell you, I was super excited when I saw this ding-dong-ditch on my twitter feed. I guess I was so touched that kindness could even move into a business…a kind nursery and garden. What could be better than THAT? This makes my dream of Richmond becoming known as a kind city feel even more real….you guys made my day!
You can also read more about other ding-dong-ditcher’s here ….and check out what our friends and partners at Mondo Beyondo are up to here.
Ever wonder what happens and who finds your bit of kindness? How awesome is THIS?!!! Check out Martina’s comment in the DDD post:
Martina Says:
July 6, 2010 at 12:03 am e
Wow, imagine my surprise today when my doorbell rang and no one was there. What was there was the neatest little package! There were 2 fresh cucumbers, a fabulous magnet for my refrigerator, a sticker that says “Life is Good” and some really cool sticky notes. All of this was tied with a ribbon and and had a small note attached to tell me that I was part of the “summer ding-dong ditch” with this website at the bottom. It absolutely made my day!! All I can think about now is who I want to do this same thing to. THank you a million times to the wonderful person, or people, who have included me in the spreading of joy!
even more loveliness found:
you can find more of this doc goodness here.
I must tell you all, this has been a really interesting GG to watch. I’m wondering if this project was kind of like advanced kindness or something. I noticed while LOTS of people were loving the idea, this particular mission was a little more gutsy to actually do. I like that….it’s good to be pushed and stretched just a little every now and then, even in play and kindness. It’s also okay to take baby steps too, start with someone you know. You don’t have to ring and run , you can just ditch without the ding and the dong. 
Much joy to you all as we uncover the power of kindness together!
my blueberry heaven…
July 5, 2010
guerrilla goodness 12: the great ding dong ditch…
June 30, 2010
Remember I told you about getting to lead a kindness mission for the lovely summer e-class on rest, play and the power of kindness? So very excited to be partnering with the Mondo Beyondo Dream Lab for this very special Guerrilla Goodness mission! It isn’t too late to join all the goodness going on in the lab!
It was a hot summer day 2 years ago, almost as steaming as our recent days. I was enormously pregnant and found myself with five kids picking sunflowers in a field and delivering them to random doors all over Richmond. The first ding dong ditch opened my heart to experience the power of kindness in a time when I needed it most. I hope this mission and kindness does the same for you. Let’s do The Great Ding Dong Ditch together!
Here’s how it works:
During the weekend of June 30- July 7th our mission is to Ding Dong Ditch a house (or many) with kindness. What is Ding Dong Ditchin’ you ask? Simply leave something nice on a doorstep, ring the doorbell (or knock) and run away as fast as you can. This can be someone you know or don’t know but the excitement is doing this act of kindness anonymously. It almost always leads to racing hearts, laughing hard and high fives for us. I hope it will be as much fun for you!
Good things to leave:
Flowers
We usually write a note explaining it is an act of kindness so we don’t create some awful secret admirer scenario.
Cash
Any amount is fine, it’s best to put it in an envelope to keep it safe and so you can leave a note.
A Sign
You can leave a sign draped down the steps for someone to find or tape it to a porch.
Ideas- you are amazing! (it’s true)
have a great day!
believe in love!
you are beautiful!
Ding Dongs
This cupcake sort of treat can be found at your local grocery store. This is my kid’s favorite to DDD their friends.
We leave a note saying, “You’ve been Ding Dong ditched!” and then we eat some ourselves. Big hit!
other simple ideas-
Card or note of encouragement
Small work of art
Gift card or certificate
A Mixed CD
Things you should know:
This doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Something simple can mean a lot.
The best part is the mystery, I love imagining who might live in the house I am ditching. I always throw a little request out into the wind that the intention of my heart and the kindness will be well received.
If the whole idea totally freaks you out, you can start small. Ding dong ditch someone you know. You can even just leave your kindness when they aren’t home and then build to the big DDD later when you feel more confident in what you are doing and the process. DDD secret- I am STILL nervous every time, but I think that is part of the rush and joy.
If you get caught, introduce yourself and tell the person what you are doing. I have never been caught directly but have done other projects where we directly handed out flowers to strangers and had to explain. I have also had to explain to onlookers or protective neighbors. You may get a variety of responses but most people appreciate the effort and intention.
It’s best to go in pairs for safety, to have a get-a-way driver and mostly because it’s hella fun to share. Only DDD in neighborhoods and areas you are familiar with and feel comfortable in. I also do not DDD in any yard where dogs are not leashed or behind fences. I should let you know, in years of doing this, I have never had a negative experience or felt unsafe. This is just good common sense stuff to remember.
Go forth, ding dong ditch and have the time of your life! Kindness has you now!
You can upload pictures from your GG adventures at the GG Flickr Pool. Let us see all the joy!
