- Cathy Stenquist
- Nov 9, 2024
- 2 min read
On my way to the laundry room, full basket in hand, the “Troop 14- Scouting for Food” flyer called to me from the table.
“Oh, that’s right,” I said to myself.
Once the washer was humming, I turned to the pantry closet and picked out a handful of cans and boxes of pasta to donate. Tied up tight, I set the bag on the entry table - the ‘weigh station’ where all things wait for their turn to leave the house.
My kindness hero- Steve Hartman and daughter Meryl.
As I turned to go, I noticed the Tupperware container full of left over Halloween candy. Immediately, the thought of a sweet little act of kindness came to mind.
In red marker, I wrote a note on the tag attached to the bag, “Thank you for doing this today! Here is a little thank you treat,” and stapled a candy bar to the tag. I set the bag on the front stoop as directed and honestly, forgot about it till this morning.
A few minutes ago, while changing the sheets on my bed, I heard a car stop in the front yard. I made my way around the bed to the window, in time to see the excited boy scout yell to his father, waiting in the car, “Dad! Dad! You’re not gonna believe it! They left me a candy bar!”
I giggled out loud, watching him open the hatch, quickly setting the bag down, and frantically tearing at the candy bar to remove it from the tag and wrapper. While the car purred and dad smiled out the window, ten-year-old cheeks looked like a chipmunk- chock full of chocolate. Smiling from ear to ear, he hopped on the back of the car and headed to pick up his next donation.
There is a lyric from a well-known Burt Bachrach song, sung by Dionne Warwick that comes to my mind. Listen here.
What the world needs now, is love sweet love.
It’s the only thing, that there’s just too little of.
This simple moment in my driveway, only witnessed by three, is the what we as a country and world need right now. Taking a minute to throw a pebble in the pond, sent kindness out into the world.
One of my all-time favorite poeple is Steve Hartman and his kids on CBS. They do a show called Kindness 101. They have even created a resources for teachers to use in their classrooms. If you are having a hard day. Please watch any of Steve's programs. It will renew your faith in people:)
On the Road with Steve Hartman (FB)
Bookmark this page . You will want to watch them all Believe me!
Imagine...
no really, imagine...
...if everyone focused on kindness, compassion, love?
Incredible! A tsunami of kindness reverberating in our neighborhoods. It doesn't have to be anything big, small things add up.
Let's make it happen!
What little thing can you do today to put a smile on someone’s face?
I will be on the look out today... how about you?
Take the challenge. Let your kindness send out ripples, filling the heart of another and your own :)
