Way To Be

I read a story from the book "Way To Be" by Gordon B. Hinckley that I really liked.  It illustrates how being kind not only benefits the person you are helping, but, it also helps you.

"An older boy and his young companion were walking along a road that led through a field.  They saw an old coat and a badly worn pair of men's shoes by the roadside, and in the distance they saw the owner working in the field.

The younger boy suggested that they hide the shoes, conceal themselves, and watch the perplexity on the owner's face when he returned.

The older boy thought that would not be so good.  He said the owner must be a very poor man.  So, after talking the matter over, at his suggestion, they decided to try another experiment.  Instead of hiding the shoes, they would put a silver dollar (which was then a commonly used coin) in each shoe and see what the owner did when he discovered the money.

Pretty soon the man returned from the field, put on his coat, slipped one foot into a shoe, felt something hard, took his foot out and found the silver dollar.  Wonder and surprise shone upon his face.  He looked at the dollar again and again, turned around and could see nobody, then proceeded to put on the other shoe.  When to his great surprise he found another dollar, his feelings overcame him.  He knelt down and offered aloud a prayer of thanksgiving, in which he spoke of his wife being sick and helpless and his children without bread.  He fervently thanked the Lord for this bounty from unknown hands and evoked the blessing of heaven upon those who gave him this needed help.

The boys remained hidden until he had gone.  They had been touched by his prayer and by his sincere expression of gratitude.  As they left to walk down the road, one said to the other, "Don't you have a good feeling?" adapted from Bryant S. Hinckley, Not by Bread Alone, Bookcraft, 1955, p. 95"

WEEK 18--Kindness Challenge--Oct. 3

As you go about your day, pick up trash.

Okay, I admit this is kind of a strange kindness challenge.  Sometimes people think kindness and service has to be these big projects, when in reality it is the small and simple things that probably mean the most.  Maybe you will brighten someones day who comes by after you and they see the area nice and clean and it will give them hope to keep enduring their day.

Week 17--Kindness Challenge--Sept. 26

Donate Money to someone or some charity this week.

I love doing this!  I wish I had more money to donate to others, but, even a little bit helps.

Week 16--Kindness Challenge--Sept. 19

Make a T.H.I.N.K. sign for yourself and look at it every day this week to remind yourself if your actions and words are:

T-Thoughtful

H-Helpful

I-Intelligent

N-Necessary

K-Kind

Week 15--Weekly Kindness Challenge--Sept. 12

Help someone this week in honor of the victims of 9/11. Remember the people who died 10 years ago on 9/11.  Remember how scary the world felt, but, how we united as Americans--"Together We Stand"--and reached out to help each other in little ways.. 

Remember Sept. 11th

Remember--what exactly does that mean?  I have been watching and reading different items this past week about 9/11.  It has broken my heart hearing all over again the memories of that day.  I am touched by stories of kindness of  people who reached out to help others who loss loved ones.  I am touched by stories of those who reached out to help survivors.  I am at a loss of words for the passengers and crew of flight 93 who sacrificed their lives to save others.

Here is a few of the note worthy stories I have found:

America's Camp--a camp started for the children who loss a parent on 9/11

Hope Rising--a statue dedicated to 9/11

Flight 93 National Memorial--a Monument being constructed to honor the passengers and crew of Flight 93

I watched the dedication of the Flight 93 Memorial.  I was touched by the speeches given.  I was touched by seeing the wall unveiled and seeing the names of each one of the passengers and crew.  I liked what President Bush said that it is important to remember and honor these people with these monuments, but, it is equally as important to remember them by the way we live our lives.  Maybe that is what remembering is really all about--showing our love for loss loved ones through memorials and monuments but also through our actions of loving and caring about others.  Every time we show kindness instead of anger, we defy what the terrorist wanted to split our nation apart in hate.

So, for today take some time to remember and honor all those who were loss on 9/11--fly a flag, attend a memorial, light a candle etc., then tomorrow and forever remember and honor them by the way you choose to treat others.

Week 14--Kindness Challenge--Sept. 5

Send a Greeting Card to someone "just because" to let them know you are thinking of them.

With modern technology, this is almost a lost tradition of sending a card through the mail.  People hardly send birthday cards or Christmas cards anymore.  This makes this challenge a unique one because it will be totally out of the blue and a nice surprise for someone.  You have to look for the "just because" cards but they are out there and it will be worth the time and effort you spend to find just the right card.

I absolutely love receiving "just because" cards because they truly show to me that someone cares because it is a lot harder and more work to send a card rather just email or text someone.