Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Thirty-three

It's not every birthday girl who says, "Today isn't about me this year. I don't need a crown, or balloons, or a singing group of waiters with a piece of cake. Skip the flowers and the cards and the parties and the candles. Let's make this year about the greater good."

But the truth is, this birthday girl deserves all of the above and then some.

And it may not have been her intention--she didn't want the fanfare with the birthday, nor with the accomplishment of doing what she did.

But this accomplice wonders, how can one not celebrate someone's desire to make the world a better place?

On her birthday eve, after a night of yoga and dinner and ice cream, we sat on her couch at 11 p.m. and finished prepping for the project. Surrounded by fun markers, and post-its, and stickers and cookies, we taped and scribbled and doodled and wrote.

It was just the beginning of the many random acts of kindness--thirty-three of them to be exact--that my friend Holly (inspired by this blog) chose to do in honor of her thirty-third birthday.

Here's the run-down of the kindness she shared:

1. Donated money to her favorite charity organization.
2. Made yours truly breakfast.



3. Posted a paper at Panera, "Take what you need, then pass it on: Love, Courage, Hope, Faith."



4. Held the door open for a sweet lady at Panera.
5. Left stamps stuck to a mailbox at the Post Office.



6. Bought coffee for a car in the drive-thru at Starbucks.
7. Gave a gift card to another car in the drive-thru at Starbucks.



8-9. Left post-its on cars: "Drive safely!" "Wear your seatbelt!"
10. Placed wishing pennies by the fountain at the mall.



11. Taped enough change for a drink to the vending machine.



12-17. Stuck notes of encouragement and positivity in the ladies' restroom at the mall. "You are beautiful!" "That lipstick looks amazing on you!" "Nice outfit!" "Your hair looks great today!" "You can do this!"



18. Left a coupon for Bath & Body Works next to a fragrance display in the store.



19. Placed pennies heads up in the parking lot.
20. Purchased (and delivered) flowers for her mom.



21. Gave a tired looking mom at the grocery a gift card to Tim Horton's (the first tired looking mom said she didn't drink coffee...we are thinking she should re-think that!).
22. Returned a grocery cart back to the store.
23. Took two bags of groceries to a food pantry.



24-26. Took gloves, coloring books, and craft supplies to a women's shelter.



27. Left Oh, the Places You'll Go! at a bus stop...with the message, "Enjoy the journey."
28. Fed parking meters.



29. Dropped off some dog treats at a local animal shelter.



30. Sent a friend a note, just because.
31. Sent a photo memory to another friend.
32. Took cookies to work.
33. Bought coffee for a work meeting.

Inspired yet? Get in on the kindness act. Tell us about what you've done. Or what you long to do. Or what someone did for you!






Sunday, January 6, 2013

A Dose of Humility

Here's the thing:

I drink too much coffee. I eat too many sweets.

I raise my voice at my kids, and on a daily basis, I think I've failed at parenting.

I worry about money, the future, and whether or not I'm really actually great at anything.

I second guess decisions.

I fight with my husband.

I let clean laundry sit in baskets for more than a week because putting it away is just another effing thing to do.

I watch far too much TV.

I enjoy Family Guy--and laugh too hard when I shouldn't--way too often.

I rehash events from the past in my head over and over again.

I complain too often, about things like laundry, and the price of day care, and how tired I am.

I feed Will hot dogs and macaroni and cheese minimum, once a week. Reid gets far less homemade baby fare than Will did.

And I feel guilty about all of it.

I switched to wine because beer made me feel bloated.

And maybe I drink too much of it.

I don't devour books anymore.

I curse like a truck driver--a kind one who still says "please" and "thank you"--but a mother effing truck driver.

And I don't care if it's unbecoming.

And sometimes I do it in front of my kids.

I let Will watch Madagascar, or Cars, or Curious George, just so I can do a load of laundry I'll never fold.

Or hide in the bathroom for five GD minutes to try and catch my breath.

I write blogs that I never post.

I text in my car, and not just at stop lights and parking spaces.

I flip through facebook on my iPhone while I feed my baby.

And as I sit here, with the travel channel on my TV (travel? Ha!) and my 3rd cup of coffee in hand, and the book "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" sitting off to the side, I can't help but take a big, heavy, load bearing sigh.

And be effing okay with every single one of those things.

And I share it all because I think you should be okay with it, too.

We're in a time when being happy and positive and present and pinterest perfect is trendy, and there are articles, and people, and blogs (ahem) that preach it. And tell you how to do it. And make you feel even worse if you just.can't.get.there.

And I just wanted to say, it's okay to be everything but those things.

Wallow in them, love them, embrace them.

Hallelujah for a little bit of humility.