Decoration Kindness

This kindness showed up in my inbox last holiday season.  I tried to get ahold of the person who emailed the neighborhood listserve about it, hoping that I could get a photo and ask a couple of questions, but didn’t hear back from them.  I decided to share it here anyway, because it is a great example of how a simple act of kindness can go a long way.

Here is the email that a neighbor sent to everyone on the listserve:

“Woke up this morning to find one of our holiday decorations close to the sidewalk had been severely damaged. We surmised that a dog/leash tangle was the cause and, though a bit bummed, didn't think more about it. A bit later we found a kind note at our door explaining what had happened (dog/leash tangle), an apology, and some cash to cover the loss. Thank you, neighbor, for your thoughtfulness when you could have "hit and run." To keep that good thing going, we will be donating the money to help those in need.”

So there you have it.  The person who broke the holiday decoration could have EASILY just kept walking.  No one even saw them break anything!  But no, they were KIND about it.  Even though it was likely an accident, they chose to come back, leave a note to apologize, and give the neighbor money to cover the damage. 

Neighborhood snowball fight during the blizzard of 2016

And because of THAT kindness, MORE KINDNESS rippled out into the world!!  The money left to cover the decoration damage went on to be donated to SOMEONE ELSE!  Isn’t that fabulous??  It is that “ripple effect” that this project is based on.  One kind act inspires/begets another, and another, and another…  And like ripples in a pond, kindness spreads.

More neighborhood snowball madness

BE A RIPPLE.  Get out there today and SPREAD SOME KINDNESS.  It doesn’t have to be huge.  It doesn’t have to be visible.  It just needs to be KIND.  Your action will inspire more kindness in the world, and really, isn’t that something we need? 

If you know of a Kindness Activist (big or small!) please tell me about them.  I am looking for more stories of kindness to inspire others.  Email me at kindnessactivist@gmail.com .  

Blizzard in our neighborhood - 2010  

Pesto Kindness

It was October 2009 and autumn was definitely here.  Most of our vegetable garden was done and gone (or dead) but the basil remained.  We had planted a large basil crop in the hopes of making homemade PESTO.  We had basil.  We had olive oil.  We had pine nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper…  But we lacked one thing:  a food processor.  Yeah, sort of the most important part was missing…  And we didn’t really have the funds to invest in one, nor the STORAGE SPACE to pack it away once we were done using it. 

Farmer Dave at the beginning of a season (photo obviously not taken in October)
Preparing the garden

Look!  REAL veggies from our very own GARDEN!

So I got creative and sent this email out to our neighborhood listserve:

“Help! Autumn is obviously here and we need to harvest the basil and turn it into PESTO. Does anyone have a food processor we could borrow? We promise to return it clean and in the same condition we borrowed it and if we can borrow it today we could return it tonight. Anyone - please?   Susan”

It didn’t take long before Elaine, a neighbor I had never met, replied.  She said:

"Hi!  Just got home and found  your message.  If you haven't already found a food processor, you can borrow ours.  Give us a call at ....   Elaine."

This is HER, Elaine, the really kind neighbor!!

A COMPLETE STRANGER WAS WILLING TO LET US BORROW HER KITCHEN EQUIPMENT!!  No strings attached and no qualms about it!  We called and rushed over to pick it up.

Preparing the basil takes quite a while!

Right - LET'S MAKE PESTO!!

This is a small part of the annual basil crop.  Basil grows well at our house!!

Well, that was 7 pesto making seasons ago.  We have contacted Elaine once a year ever since and borrowed that same hard working food processor.  Each year we have “repaid” her with a sealed bag of very fresh pesto.   I still probably wouldn’t recognize her if we crossed paths in the grocery store.  But each fall, when we see the basil in the garden getting out of control, I think, “It’s time to email Elaine!!”.  And every year she is as nice as the previous. 

HOMEADE PESTO IS DELICIOUS!  We seal it in these freezer bags and eat it year round!

Thank you for being so kind Elaine.  Not everyone would be willing to share with a stranger.  Honestly, probably 50 people read that email and YOU replied.  You trusted us and were willing to be kind and SHARE.  It is people like you that make the neighborhood (and the world!) a fun place to be.  We appreciate your thoughtfulness. 

As you can clearly see, we get EXCITED about pesto!  

Bon appetite!

Has a neighbor been kind to you??  Tell me about it!!  I would love to make them a KINDNESS ACTIVIST!  Email me at kindnessactivist@gmail.com

Psst, and PLANT A GARDEN if you can!  It is super fun.