Thursday, December 20, 2012

28 Acts

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
--Martin Luther King, Jr.

In the wake of the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, many people have been wondering what they can do to help.

There are many funds set up to assist the families of the victims and to honor the victims' memory. You can find a list here.

My reaction to this tragedy, however is to put Mother Theresa's words into action:
"Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go."

Radical compassion and random acts of kindness.

It's not a new idea. But it's gained popularity on Twitter this week.

Ann Curry's idea is to perform 26 acts of kindness to honor the dead from Newtown. But I'm adding two more, one for the perpetrator of this crime and his mother. They deserve to be remembered as well, for different reasons.

I want to get the whole family involved, so the girls and I brainstormed some ideas. Here's what we came up with:
1. Give someone a hug.
2. Pay for someone's drive through order.
3. Write notes of encouragement to teachers, police officers, paramedics, and firefighters.
4. Write notes of encouragement to friends and family.
5. Make cookies and pass out to strangers.
6. Clean the snow off a stranger's car.
7. Shovel someone's driveway.
8. Donate a book about being a peacemaker to area schools.
9. Make some snowflakes for Sandy Hook Elementary.
10. Be kind to someone who can be difficult to be kind to.

It's a small list, but these acts can make a big impact. Imagine if my list inspired you to do your own, how our kindness would multiply and touch our communities.

Now it's your turn! In the comments, tell about your own random acts, whether performed or received, and how they made you feel. Let's wage a kindness revolution!



2 comments:

  1. Having singers at the door late in evening (the two in the picture) was a blessing that I cannot thank you enough!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Today we gave a coffee to the bell ringer at the store door. The dollar we spent really warmed our hearts, and it sure seemed to warm his as well.

    ReplyDelete

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