guerrilla goodness 5 and ding-dong ditchin’…
August 13, 2008
I have been itchin’ to do some guerrilla kindness, it’s a sure thing for stirring my soul and bringing me back to places of joy and wonder. I decided some flower power was in order so the kids and I (cousins included) went to pick sunflowers…
We headed to a little sunflower patch on the southside of Richmond. Mr. Reams is a kind old man, he came out to greet us and apologized for the lack of rain making this year’s crop substandard in his mind. They sure looked pretty to me and there is nothing like standing in the middle of a field of flowers.
Mr. Reams looked tired, I wondered how he still found the energy to plant for yet another year. This little patch is special, it’s the kind of place where you leave the money in the mailbox if no one is home.
The sunflowers are only .20 a stalk, you can pick a million which makes this project pretty cheap. Cheap is good these days and reminds me that kindness can be affordable too.
Jack and Carter were totally uninterested. They each picked one or two flowers and then left to play in the car. Such is life…
Jack’s contribution…
Josiah and Madeleine were totally into it…
They even found this little loveliness…
Lucy just wanted to feel the dirt between her toes…
I asked the kids if they wanted to help me make cards to attach to bouquets and then randomly leave them on doorsteps.
Madeleine: Oh, like ding-dong ditching! but good!
Me: What is ding-dong ditching?
Mad: You know, like when you knock on the door (or ring the door bell) and then hide or run away when the person comes to the door…
Me: Yeah! Totally! Like ding-dong dichin’ but for good not evil. I LOVE it…
Mad: We should do it to my dad and Jorgie when we get home.
Jack was very conflicted by such an idea, he did NOT think we should be ding-dong ditchin’ our own family.
He thought it might be okay if we brought them some flowers. They did- DDD and Jack did not participate, there were no flowers either.
Later in the day Mad and I put the flowers together and added some notes…
This one of Madeleine’s was my favorite…
Lucy, Mad and I spent the rest of the afternoon leaving flowers on doorsteps and giving them to complete strangers.
“This is AWESOME! ” Mad said….I couldn’t agree more. It was so freakin’ exhilarating. Our favorite was a woman with 2 kids, a baby and a dog who offered Madeleine some coupons in return, it was very sweet. I liked the toll lady too, she looked so surprised.
ding-dong ditching has never been so fun…
Kindnessgirl 
August 13, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Oh, how lovely. You are pure magic, yes you are.
August 13, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Wish I was there…it sounds like so much fun!!
August 13, 2008 at 10:06 pm
What a MARVELOUS idea and way to spend the day…for everyone involved…giving and receiving. Truly, I think “Hope is Never Too Far Away” are words to live by.
August 14, 2008 at 12:10 am
awesome and beautiful! thanks!!!
August 14, 2008 at 12:27 am
this fills my heart up with deep, wide joy.
(thank you)
August 14, 2008 at 6:15 am
This is just so inspirational. I can only imagine that those on the receiving end of your acts of kindness are going to go forward and spread the love. And the lifelong impact on your children will surely be profound. I love it!
August 14, 2008 at 8:16 am
Mad’s note made my heart sing. Thanks for a beautiful start to my day!
August 14, 2008 at 11:31 am
I’m a friend of Jen’s, new to your blog, and this is so lovely. : )
Good for you. Seems your whole family got the kindness gene. What a wonderful thing!
August 14, 2008 at 1:10 pm
I’ve been meaning to stop there, and so today we did! Thanks for the inspiration girl, your random act of kindness turned contagious today đŸ™‚
August 14, 2008 at 1:41 pm
you are flipping awesome…. I love that patch! we are going today big hugs, kristen
August 14, 2008 at 9:48 pm
What an awesome thing to do! That is really, really a great moment – and a great moment to share with kids.
August 15, 2008 at 8:40 am
The toll lady — perfect!! I love the toll ladies! You have reminded me of a quote from the Tao Te Ching that Peter and I used at our wedding — I’ll drop it by — about cultivating your own peace and happiness so that you can radiate it out into the world. Thank you for your radiance!
August 15, 2008 at 1:33 pm
You are being featured on Five Star Friday:
http://www.fivestarfriday.com/2008/08/five-star-friday-edition-19.html
August 15, 2008 at 2:59 pm
That is the sweetest thing I’ve read in a long time. I love this. What an incredible lesson for your kids.
August 17, 2008 at 4:26 pm
so sweet!
August 18, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Love this post. Would like your permission to use the lady bug fingers photo to do a painting…..I have been thinking of doing a lady bug and this one is so inspiring.
August 18, 2008 at 9:52 pm
oh.
this is GOOD!
love this idea so much!
i need to write this down in my teaching journal…
love your blog. found it through kimmy certa (at shimmer glimpse). she told me about you. : D
peace and love to you – kathleen
August 19, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Beautiful! I love that saying your wrote about hope. Do you mind if I steal it? Even better, if you can post a list of kind notes you’ve written for those of us with less imagination, you could increase your guerrilla goodness army!
August 21, 2008 at 6:02 am
This? Is why I love reading your blog.
August 21, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Hi,
I found your blog while surfing today- I hope you don’t mind my comment.
I love, totally love this project!!! Thanks for spreading the love today!!
Eileen
August 30, 2008 at 12:19 pm
saw a link on shuttersisters.com
what a MARVELOUS idea! I wish I could go out and do this today, but am afraid that many people will be gone for the long weekend. [I’m thinking it’s the perfect apartment “neighborhood” project.] I can’t wait!
September 15, 2008 at 7:30 pm
[…] 5. guerrilla goodness […]
November 12, 2008 at 11:15 am
You’re a beautiful soul and an inspiration. I don’t remember how I stumbled on your blog but I’m so glad I did. I’ll visit anytime my spirit needs a lift.
August 12, 2009 at 8:04 am
[…] “Babe, just another day in the life of a kindness worker, just think of the sacrifices Mother Theresa made.” Diet coke shoots through my nose at the sarcasm comparison of me and Mother T. I can not stop laughing while I arrange flower boquets in the middle of lunch. He puts everyone in their car seats and sends us on our way to do our ding-dong-ditchin’. […]
September 11, 2009 at 8:54 am
Ding dong ditch for good!! I love it! What a wonderful idea!
May 23, 2010 at 1:26 am
[…] go ding dong ditchin’ […]
June 30, 2010 at 8:24 am
[…] 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 […]
August 22, 2011 at 2:06 pm
I’m sure your flowers came just at the right time for someone! This is a great idea!
September 11, 2011 at 9:20 pm
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March 23, 2012 at 8:34 am
lovely, wonderful, fabulous!
March 26, 2012 at 5:18 pm
[…] Kindness Girl, aka Patience Salgado, believes that simple acts of kindness can change the world. Doesn’t that sound nice? She invented Guerrilla Goodness– my favorite GG act is the Ding Dong Ditch. […]
January 14, 2015 at 1:13 pm
[…] guerrilla goodness: ding-dong ditchin’ […]
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May 24, 2017 at 12:30 am
[…] revelation & how her blog unfolded to be centered around it. Her & her children have went ding-dong ditching’ with sunflowers, filled random candy machines with quarters, left inspirational magic wands & gourds all over […]