Yellow Roses of Kindness

 I am a member of a Facebook group for people who have had a sibling die.  Way back in April, I posted this: 

 

“I live in South Arlington, VA, near Arlington National Cemetery. It is a beautiful place, and I sometimes go there to visit the gravesites of my in-laws.

 

Do you have a sibling buried there, but you do not live near enough to visit? If so, I would love to visit their gravesite for you and leave a flower. I would send you a photo. 

 

Just let me know. My sister is buried too far away for me to go visit, so I understand the feeling of wishing you could stop by but you can't.”

 

The way I look at it, living near the capital of the country is a privilege, and I try to use that privilege to help others when possible.  So, if I could use an hour or two of my time to visit the grave of a loved one and help someone feel even a tiny bit better, well then, I consider that time well spent.

 

A person who lives in California commented on my post.  She said: 

 

“I know it’s a bit further than Arlington National Cemetery but would you be willing to go to the police officers’ memorial for me and leave a flower?”.

 

Of course I said yes.

 

It has been 2 ½ months since that “yes”, and it has been weighing heavily on my mental to-do list.  So, this morning I decided that today was the day.  I was off of work, the sun was shining, and I had a plan - go to Trader Joe’s and buy a dozen roses.  I would use one of those roses to decorate the woman’s brother’s space on the memorial.

 

Great plan.  But what to do with the other 11 roses? 

 

Another plan – GIVE THOSE AWAY TO STRANGERS.

 

Now let me tell you this.  As much as I like to talk to strangers, offering them gifts out of the blue is a bit scary.  It just is not something that is normally done in our culture.  So, when you do it, you have to have thick skin and be ready for rejection, because not everyone is going to take you up on your offer, no matter what you are giving away.  Trust me on this one, I have learned that lesson. 

 

Anyway, step one:  TRADER JOE’S FOR ROSES.

 

But which roses??  There were so many!

 

Of course, there were classic red roses. 

 

Pink ones.

 

White.

 

Oh, the coral ones that I always love.

 

And yellow.  Bright yellow…

 

Today is Juneteenth, and there is some yellow/gold associated with that holiday.  So, even though I wouldn’t usually choose the yellow roses, today for some reason I did.

 

I checked out and then went to my “station”: I stood outside the door of the grocery store.

 

My plan was to offer roses to people as they left.  I thought giving them to people coming IN would be awkward – where do you keep a rose while you shop, and would it be confusing trying to explain to the cashier that it was already paid for by some random stranger?  So, target EXIT-ERS.

 

As I got the roses out of the cellophane and awkwardly stood alone in the sunshine, I felt uncomfortable…  Rejection was right around the corner.  Why do I put myself in those situations?  Flashbacks of the people thinking David and I were complete weird-os for offering them free pie on Pi Day…

 

Push through.  The sun is shining.  You have ROSES TO GIVE AWAY!

 

I smiled at a woman as she was coming out of the store and held out a rose.  “Here!  Would you like a flower?” I think I said, I can’t remember (see above – this can be a bit stressful…).

 

She smiled and took the flower.  Then she did something that really surprised me – she called me by name! 

 

“Susan?  I know you!!” she said. 

 

Turns out, she and I are in the same Buy Nothing group and she recognized me!  What are the chances that the very first person I offered a flower to actually knew me? 

 

Well then, rose number one given away and it went so well, I felt more comfortable.  I held out flowers and smiled, everyone except one person smiled back and accepted the gift.  One woman was especially happy and said that yellow is her favorite color.

 

I was focusing on women, but I decided to try a man.  I mean, the worst that could happen is he said no, right?  “Excuse me sir, would you like a rose?”.

 

He smiled awkwardly and shook his head no.

 

I countered, “Maybe you have someone that you would like to give it to???”.

 

The awkward smile was replaced by a genuine one as he accepted the gift.  “Why yes!  Yes. I do!” he said.

 

The woman from Buy Nothing returned and asked if she could take a photo of the stranger and I.  She later posted it in the group, saying, “Our very own Kindness Activist, Susan Thompson Gaines, once again spreading joy in the form of roses to unsuspecting shoppers. ”

 

How sweet!

 

I gave away 10 roses and decided to keep 2 to bring to the Police Officers’ Memorial.  I had never been and wasn’t sure what it would look like, so maybe 2 roses would be needed.

 

We waited out a huge summer storm, then went into DC.  The Memorial is beautiful – similar to the one for Vietnam.  Names of fallen officers are etched in stone and a beautiful fountain was flowing.  The woman whose brother is honored there had told me which section to look in, and it didn’t take long to find his name.

 

Doing kind acts like this one is truly an honor.  I looked up the man’s name in a directory at the site and learned that he died recently, 2023.  I thought about him and wondered about his life.  Who, besides his sister, did he leave behind…  I tried to make a rubbing of the name to send to the woman, but everything was still wet from the rain so it didn’t work.

 

As we were getting ready to go, I noticed 3 people across the way.  They seemed focused on one spot on the wall.  I guessed that they were likely there to honor a loved one who had died.

 

“Let’s take one of the roses and walk that way,” I said to David.  “If they don’t already have a flower, we can give them this one.”

 

Off we went, ready to hand the 11^th rose to a stranger.

 

As we approached, I saw that they had taped a photo of their loved one above his name.  He was young, as were the 2 children standing near us who had lost their father.  They looked like they were young teens. 

 

I commented on how nice the photo was.  I asked if they would like a rose to leave at the site and held it out.

 

The woman raised her hand to take it, but had a bit of a surprised look on her face.

 

“A YELLOW ROSE.  Yellow.  That is what he always gave me!  I don’t like red roses, he always gave me yellow…”.

 

The children smiled and repeated, “A YELLOW ROSE!”.

 

That’s when I knew why the yellow flowers called my name.  It was as if somehow the fallen officer was giving his love a rose again.

 

They thanked us.  We took some photos for them and said goodbye.

 

Roses for strangers.

 

Strangers outside the grocery store.

 

A stranger from the internet.

 

And a stranger who lost her husband.

 

Yes, roses for strangers.

 

That was the best $11.65 of Kindness Activist funds that I have spent in a very long time.

P.S. - I love to imagine all of the kindness ripples that took place today because of these flowers and this kindness...  The woman who did not get a flower because I didn't have one left to offer her, but still came up to me and said, "I saw what you were doing.  That was very, very kind...".  The man who was brave enough to take the flower from a stranger, who no doubt re-told the story of how he had it when he passed it on to his loved one.  The family at the memorial who are likely telling all their friends about the mysterious yellow rose...  And the woman whose brother was honored at the memorial.  Kindness ripples all around.  Gives me goosebumps.

 

 

 

Birthday Kindness

I have been feeling sad and stressed lately.  Often when that is the case, if I stop and examine things, I realize that I have taken my focus off kindness.  If I can re-focus – put kindness front and center again – the hustle bustle of the world slows down, and life seems more manageable.

And that is what happened today.

My sweetheart and I had a day FULL of plans – in fact we had so many events we wanted to attend today that before bed last night we had to eliminate one thing off our list.  We planned to wake up early, drive an hour to an event we both really wanted to go to, drive back and attend ANOTHER event we both were happy to go to, then go to a 3^rd event…  In one day…  And I wonder where the stress was coming from…

Anyway, it was not to be.  The alarm went off this morning and I said, “One more snooze…” several times until we just gave up and admitted we would rather sleep.

Fast forward to 12:30 pm when I finally woke up.  Oops.  First planned event down the drain…

After a very nice breakfast we headed to the annual Flower Mart at the Washington DC National Cathedral.  We went last year for the first time and really liked it – there are booths of art work, clothing, food, and plants set up all around the green lawn of the Cathedral, and also singing and dancing for entertainment.  Moseying around the event is a nice way to spend a springtime day.

I was looking for a birthday gift for my sister (shhh, I got one!).  I also found a great t-shirt with a message that I need:  the front says, “don’t wait” and the back says, “There is no right time.  Make it happen”.  I think those are great mottos to live by, don’t you?

don't wait

There is no right time.

As I looked around one booth I heard the shop owner talking to a girl, trying to help her decide which of two small hand painted bowls she should get.  The girl loved them both, and was finding it impossible to choose.  “Just pick one.  Get it.  Take it home, you will love it.  And after a while you will not even remember the other one”, said the shop keeper.  It wasn’t an attempt at pushing a sale, it was trying to teach a life lesson to a teenager.  The girl hemmed and hawed, then explained that she was trying to be more conscious in how she spent her money.  Respect, girl, respect!  I was impressed.  The woman at the stall asked when her birthday was, and she said, “Next week!”.  “Ahh, this would make a good birthday gift for yourself!”.

After much deliberation, the girl walked away.  I asked the shop keeper which bowl she had chosen, and she told me she had NOT.  The girl left without getting a bowl, but it was the green one that she really wanted.  I looked at it – it was beautiful.  “Wait a minute!” I hollered to the girl and the woman I presumed was her mother as they walked away.  I handed the green bowl to the woman working and asked her to ring it up.  “I would like to get this for you for your birthday,” I told the young girl.  She stared at me.  “What???  Oh, no…  You don’t have to do that…”.  “I know I don’t have to, and that is exactly what I want to,” I told her.  “I think you deserve this for your birthday.”  The woman with her was stunned.  She teared up.  She was not sure what to think.  Then the young girl introduced herself to me and gave me a big hug.  “Wait a minute!”, her adult friend said, “You don’t KNOW this woman???”.  We chuckled and explained that no, we had never met.  This made the older woman cry.  “This is my neighbor,” she said.  “She is turning 17 next week.  She and I have come to this market together for years.  We have never had anything like this happen to us!  We will pay it forward!!  I promise, we will pay it forward!”.

The shop keeper smiled and finished the transaction.  She wrapped the delicate little bowl in a brown bag and handed it to me.  I presented it to the stranger – the birthday girl.  “HAPPY BIRTHDAY.”

And just like that – my focus shifted.  My heart opened.  My breathing was slower and deeper.  The grass looked even more vibrantly green and the world seemed more manageable.

A little kindness goes a long way (both for the receiver and the giver).  Open your heart to kindness today.  Don’t wait.

Bottles of Kindness

If you have watched the news lately, you know that Senator John McCain died.

And if you happened to see my most recent Kindness Activist piece, you know that my sister was diagnosed with Glioblastoma this July.

So, if you put 2 and 2 together, you might come to the conclusion that McCain’s death (he also had Glioblastoma) hit my family in a particularly hard way. 

And you would be right.

All politics aside – whatever your opinion of John McCain is/was – my hope is that him being open and honest about his brain cancer will somehow shed more light on this disease.  My hope is that him being famous will somehow draw more attention to the lack of research and innovation in Glioblastoma treatment and cure.  May his diagnosis somehow open doors to more funding for brain cancer research, so that new medicines, trials, and CURES can be discovered.

Yesterday John McCain laid in state at the US Capitol.  I went to the Capitol to pay my respects, and in my heart I carried the respects of my family (who are in Nebraska so could not attend).  I knew the line would be long, but I had a short day at work and decided that I would wait in line however long it took. 

The United States Capitol August 31, 2018 - flag lowered for John McCain

I went early – the public viewing did not begin until 1:00 pm and I went around 2:00 because I assumed the line would be much longer after the regular work day finished at 5:00.  Before heading out I checked the list of prohibited items for the Capitol, and one thing banned was “liquid – including water”.  Alrighty then, no water!!

I have lived in the DC metro area for almost 20 years, so have been to the Capitol often.  Yesterday I was envisioning the line being indoors.  Boy was I wrong…  The lines (there were 2) were huge and were definitely OUTDOORS.  The sun was beating down and it was very, very hot.  I think when I was in line it was about 90 degrees, but it felt much hotter with the sun beating directly down.  The lines were on either side of the Capitol and weaved in and out, each “row” separated by metal barriers that were all hooked together.  It looked a bit like lines at Disney World.

Well, I hadn’t waited in line too long before I saw the first person get sick from the heat.  It was an older woman in the row next to me, and she began leaning on the metal barrier, then trying to unlock the barrier from the one next to it to open it so she could get out.  But the barriers were held together very well and were HARD to unhook.  I heard her say weakly, “I need to get out…”, and the woman next to me and I started trying to unhook the barriers to let her escape.  When we couldn’t get it open I began yelling “EMT, EMT!” and the other woman shouted, “Medic needed here!”.  Other people got the barriers open and EMTs came and took the woman onto one of many small make-shift “ambulances” that lined the street in front of the Capitol.  It made me so sad to see her on the stretcher.  I imagined that she was a die-hard McCain fan, here to pay her respects, and now she would not be able to.  I wanted to shout, “If you begin feeling better, please come take my place in line!”, but I didn’t, and I doubt she got to return.

After that incident I guess you could say that people started dropping like flies…  There was no shade (save the rain umbrellas that some people held) and the sun was H-O-T.  And there was no water for those of us that didn’t bring any.  I searched frantically for someone selling bottles of water but there was no one.  Red Cross workers had water for emergencies only, and when someone was feeling faint they would take them out of line and either have them sit on a little brick wall with a cold pack on their neck or put them on a stretcher and remove take them away.

This photo does not capture the density or length of the LINES,
but gives you some idea

I started to really worry.  I have only suffered from the effects of heat stroke once (we went to India during what turned out to be a record heat wave).  It was spooky when I got sick in India, and I did not want to relive that experience yesterday.  I think the combination of the heat and my panic was not good, and my heart began to race.  But I didn’t want to get out line – I had come to pay my respects and that is what I intended to do. 

So, I texted my sweetheart David.  He offered to come down and bring me water and my sunhat.  I was so relieved when I saw him walking up!  I poured a bit of cool water on my neck and quickly drank a bottle, saving the second one to drink while I was in the rest of the line. 

Empty chair representing POWS and those MIA inside the US Capitol

When the line finally moved to INSIDE the Capitol, it was fine.  The air conditioner kept us all cool and the wait was not difficult at all.   The site of McCain's casket lying in the Capitol Rotunda, draped in an American flag and guarded by two soldiers, was stunning.  He lie right under the beautiful domed ceiling, and those paying their respects wept, prayed, and some saluted.  

Beautiful card given to all who attended

Well, while I was still in line I asked David via text if he would mind going to the store and buying a couple of cases of bottled water.  When I got done at the Capitol, I wanted to hand out water to other people waiting in line.  He agreed, and when I was out he met me with 2 cases of water and a big rolling suitcase.

I put the water in that suitcase and off I went, back to the line!!  By this time the clouds had rolled in, so it was not AS scorching, but it was still hot.  The street was closed off (blocked by large trucks) and the area was guarded by many police officers (some of them carrying machine guns…).   The bomb sniffing dogs sniffed my suitcase 4 times to make sure it was safe.  “It’s just water!” I assured the dog wearing booties to keep his feet from getting burnt.

They were only small bottles of water, but they brought large smiles to the faces of people in line.  I had noted the diversity of the crowd inside the Capitol earlier and was amazed: there were African Americans, Indians, Asians, Caucasians, elderly people, infants, those in wheelchairs, Muslims, school children, veterans, blind people, Deaf people, those who spoke other languages, people in military uniforms, there was even a homeless man in line.  So, when I had water to hand out, it gave me joy to share it with such a wide array of people!

“How much?” some people would ask as I handed them a bottle of water.  “It is free,” was my reply.  “I waited in this line earlier and know how hot it is”.  I was thanked countless times and took joy from the wide smiles.  When I only had 3 bottles remaining a group joined the line that included 2 monks dressed in beautiful orange robes.  They were thirsty and happily took water.  It felt so fitting to be able to share this small gift with them. 

This act of kindness was a good reminder for me of how being kind not only benefits the RECIPIENT, it also gives joy to the GIVER.  I have been sad and stressed since my sister’s diagnosis and this simple act made me feel lighter and gave me a bit more hope for the world overall.

When the water was gone I went to the Vietnam Memorial (“The Wall”) for a candlelight vigil for the Senator.  It is always touching to be in that space, especially when veterans and their families are there. 

Vietnam Memorial, Washington DC - candlelight vigil for John McCain August 31, 2018

I am grateful to live in our country’s capital, so close to events like yesterday’s.  And I am thankful to have a schedule that is flexible enough to be able to participate in things. 

And I am HOPEFUL that John McCain’s illness will somehow shed light on Glioblastoma, resulting in increased funding, research, effective treatments, and a CURE.

Candles and uniform left at the Wall

Kindness in Darkness

Today’s Kindness Activist is someone that I never met.  I wish I had, but I cannot. 

Last evening I became aware that a member of the Washington DC Theatre Community and yoga teacher had been reported as missing.  Her friends, colleagues, and family quickly gathered online and rallied.  People prayed.  People drove around and looked.  People lit incense.  Psychics suggested places that they felt she may be that should be searched.  People teamed up and walked in areas near her home.  And people cried.

During the night, police announced that they had found her car, and later announced that she was found deceased inside the vehicle.  A suspect, who police say she probably did not know, has now been arrested and charged with her murder.

Throughout the whole, terrible ordeal, friends wrote comments about her in a group that had been established.  And one thing that came up over and over was her KINDNESS;  that she was a KIND person. 

I think that is a legacy of her that will live on.  From the many comments, it is obvious that she was a myriad of things:  talented, funny, joyful, wise, caring…  And kind.  Kind.

In times like this, my instinct is to be angry.  Angry that someone was taken away so violently.  Angry that things like this are so unfair.  Angry that, even with the thousands of people hunting, praying, and wishing, the result was not what anyone wanted.  And, to be honest, events like this make me question my own kindness.  She was taken on Christmas Day.  How can that happen??  How can a holiday meant to be full of love and sharing turn into something so awful?  Certainly there is no sense of KINDNESS in that world. 

And I question my own kind actions.  Am I gullible?  I talk to strangers all the time, I hand things out to them, I have given them rides.  I know that I like to think of it as having an open heart, but is that trait of mine something that makes me a target in this world?   Should I stop being KIND, and start being SMART instead??

And while I may wallow in anger and fear for a while, I know that I cannot stop believing in kindness.  Without it, I am not sure what I would have left to enjoy in the world.

So today, I am sad.  And angry.  And yes, decidedly unkind.

But tomorrow, I hope that I will be able to pick up the torch of kindness again.  And I hope that when I die (which, spoiler alert, we all will…) one thing that is repeated in remembrances of me is that I was kind.  If that happens, I think I will have done my job. 

Ride-Sharing Kindness

The other night we had an experience that reminded me of a very easy way to spread kindness: SHARE YOUR VEHICLE.

That is something we do often – when you see someone that needs a ride, offer it. 

I guess we started doing it when we first moved into our house and our driveway was quite literally the BUS STOP for our street.  People would wait for the bus at the end of our driveway!  We ended up making friends with a man who took the bus often, and when the timing worked out and we were leaving while he was waiting for his bus, we asked if he wanted to jump in our car.  Depending on the time of day he would be headed toward work at the movie theatre or home, and we would give him a lift.  I think that is how we got started offering people rides.

Since then we do it every so often.  I remember once this year we saw a family of 3 waiting for a bus.  They were the only ones at the stop, and we could see a bus just a block away that we presumed they had just missed.  It was a weekend, meaning they were going to have a long wait for the next bus.  So we pulled around the block, came back around, and offered a ride.  In they jumped – and we took them to Best Buy, where they told us they were going to spend their tax return on a new flat screen television!  (We imagined that it might have been luckier for them if we had seen them AFTER their purchase, a tv would be hard to lug home on a bus!)

I am always on the look-out for people needing rides when I am at Arlington National Cemetery.  My partner’s parents are interred there, so we have a permit to drive in the cemetery to visit their gravesites.  But many people visiting Arlington do not have a permit, so they walk in, not realizing how huge the place is.  I always pull over and offer rides to them, especially on very hot or super cold days, or to anyone in military uniform.  They are, without exception, very grateful for the ride, and we have met some sweet people by giving them lifts.

The most recent ride we offered was in DC to a woman named Nicole this week.  We were walking a few blocks back to our car after seeing a show, and we were at a red light with her waiting to cross.  Her bus was already at the stop, and she was wishing she could rush across the street and get on it, but couldn’t cross yet.  By the time she could, the bus had pulled away, but was stuck at the red light.  We congratulated her for “making it”, then realized the bus driver wouldn’t open the door because he wasn’t at an official stop…  So, we did what we do, we offered a ride!  And she walked with us to her car and we drove her home.  She was super sweet and it was a fun ride.

Of course, I am sure that some people would say this practice of giving rides to strangers is dangerous…  And I know, it COULD be.  But we are careful who we pick up, and so far (knock on wood) have not been hit over the head or car jacked.  :)  We have been refused, most notably by an African American couple trying to hail a cab in Washington DC during a blizzard.  No cabs were stopping for them, so we pulled over.  I rolled down my passenger window and offered them a ride, and they replied by telling us in no uncertain terms NO – “Do not do that!  Do not be nice!  That is dangerous!!  You get on now!  Do not be nice!!!”  she admonished us.  (I presume “You crazy white people!!” was also going through their heads.)

Share a ride - meet a stranger

But, for us, giving rides to strangers has been lovely.  It rarely takes much time (and in the grand scheme of things, time is what we all have to share).  It doesn’t often take us too far out of our way.  And it has introduced us to some lovely people. 

I will close here by linking to a story I wrote in 2010 about one of our most rewarding experiences offering a stranger a ride.  His name was Mark.  He was homeless.  We met him by helping some other strangers try and help him up when he was stuck, turtle-like, on his back in the snow.  He had on surgical socks, no shoes (in the very, very deep snow) and was on crutches.  After getting him back to a standing position, we spent 50 minutes with him in our car talking and singing show tunes together.  I still remember how lovely it was six years later.  His story is here:  Happy Talk Keep Talkin' Happy Talk

So I guess my point is this:  you have a vehicle?  You are lucky, not everyone does.  It you see someone who could benefit from a lift, and if the situation looks safe, take a chance.  Be kind.  Open your heart, open your car door.  Give them a ride.  They will appreciate it, and it might just make your heart happy.  

Moxie Kindness

This is Eileen.  She is not a BIG woman.  She is, in fact, quite petite.  But what she “lacks” in size, she makes up for in MOXIE.  Yes, moxie and kindness!  Meet Eileen, the newest Kindness Activist!!

Modeling her new Kindness Activist button!

Eileen is someone who might be described by friends using adjectives like “spunky”, “perky”, “smart”, “adorable”, “strong”, “witty”, and “talented”*, but I bet none of them thought to use “burly”.  That is, until now!  You see, EILEEN STOPPED A PURSE THIEF!! 

“What the WHAT??” I see you silently wondering.  Here’s the deal:

Eileen was minding her own business, walking to the metro in Washington DC wearing her bright pink backpack and pink Chuck Taylors.  She heard a woman behind her holler that somebody had taken her bag.  She says, “I turned around and there was a man running towards me, and in my infinite ‘flight or flight’ response, I did NEITHER, and just SAT DOWN ON THE SIDEWALK.  Because the man was running and looking behind him (at the woman he had just robbed…) he didn’t see that I had crouched in front of him and he fell over me.”

Is this not the coolest story already?  Our Activist has tripped up a bad guy!!  GO EILEEN! 

But, like many stories here, it gets even better…

You see, when he tumbled and fell over Eileen, the baddie DROPPED both the purse he had stolen and, wait for it, his own wallet!!!  Eileen grabbed both of those things as the man stumbled up and ran away.  She returned the purse to its owner and held onto the wallet until police arrived.  I asked her if the guy was hurt when he fell and we decided that his pride was probably hurt worse than his body.  This beefy young guy had been duped by our pink shoe-d hero! 

Our hero's pink shoes

When the police came Eileen gave a statement and ID’ed the guy from the identification photo in the wallet (which, honestly, could have been anyone’s wallet!  I mean, if the guy steals purses, maybe he steals wallets, too, right?  But it turned out this was the bad guy’s actual wallet – isn’t that fantastic???).  A few days later she had to go do an official police line-up – just like on tv.  

I asked Eileen what the woman did when she returned the purse to her, and she said, “She was really very appreciative.  I did not feel like a HERO.  It was more like, my brain short-circuited and thought, “Let’s go into turtle mode!”.  The whole thing took maybe a minute and a half, but it felt like an eternity.  If I had a moment to think about it I probably would have gotten out of the way and he would have run away.  But my brain literally short-circuited and I just SAT DOWN.  The cop said, ‘Usually in those types of situations we tell people not to do vigilante justice, but you just SAT DOWN.’ “

Eileen doesn't normally live in DC, she is visiting here and performing in "Beertown" by Dog and Pony, DC.  Check it out!  While in town, she took some time to explore the butterfly exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
Check out Dog and Pony DC here:  Dog and Pony Website

Before the cops called to let her know they had caught the guy, she was a bit nervous walking around the city wearing the same bright pink backpack that made her so recognizable.  In hindsight, she realized there could have been other people working with the guy who saw her, the guy could have had a weapon, etc., all scary thoughts.  In summing up the experience, she said, “I hope that, from this situation, the man thinks about it and decides this is not the path for him”.

Many people would call Eileen a HERO for her actions that day.  I would add another title: KINDNESS ACTIVIST.  I can’t think of many people that I know (myself included) that would put themselves on the line like that (turtle style) to stop an injustice.  But she did it!  Way to go Eileen!

*Footnote:  all adjectives used in this description are used in a POSITIVE manner, so don’t get the wrong idea that “spunky” or “perky” are pejorative.  No siree, they are COMPLIMENTS here.

P.S. - If you know of a Kindness Activist, please tell me about them!  I am always hunting for more kind people!  Send me an email at:  kindnessactivist@gmail.com   And while you are at it, "like" Kindness Activist on Facebook so you can see when the next one gets named!

WAY TO GO!!