Meaningful Monday Week 3

Happy Monday! If you did anything nice last week, you made the world a better place. So, thank you! (That was me, speaking for the general population). We’ve figured out that if our family is going to meet our goal of 35 Random Acts of Kindness in 3.5 months, that is approximately 2-3 per week. Why are we doing this? We simply want to make the world a little kinder. The back story is HERE. I decided to make it into a blog hop because I couldn’t think of a better way to start the week. Reading about humans being nice to each other gives me warm fuzzies.

RAOK #18 – I was dropping some kid stuff off at the resale shop and I was waiting outside with another mom & her kids. I noticed the little girl looking into my basket. I asked her if she would like to ask her mom if she could have a box of barbie soaps/barrettes. The mom said yes and the little girl thanked me throughout the store. It felt really good to see that girl happy, but I have to tell you it was a little hard. I didn’t plan to do that before I left the house, so when I try to speak to people on a whim, I’m a little nervous that they’ll think I’m crazy, or be offended somehow. People don’t just randomly do things for other people on the street. Then I suck it up & take the plunge, because that’s exactly what I’m trying to change.

RAOK #19 – I took bags of our outgrown clothing to the homeless shelter. It’s hot and some of them were sitting outside. As I opened my trunk they called out to me saying the shop was open. (It’s a store that will sell your donations to keep the shelter running) I asked if this is where I dropped off donations and they said yes. I grabbed some bags and when I turned around there was a line of 3-4 men behind me. I admit I was taken off guard for a second. They were a little scary. Then they held out there arms and offered to help me carry the bags. I felt ashamed. I forced myself to speak “Oh, are you guys here to help me?”  They nodded. “That’s so sweet” I said as I handed bags to them. So many things ran through my head.  Honestly, if I were approached on the street by one of them I would probably hold my child’s hand a little tighter. Why? They were people. I was judging. I was outside my box. I was mad at myself and ashamed at the same time. Watching those men carry those bags for me made me really see them. I was emotional. No matter how worldly I think I am or how much of an open thinker I believe myself to be, there is always ALWAYS room for improvement. Our box is as big as we make it. I’m trying to remove the box for my children. Maybe they will go with me next time.

ROAK # 20 – The kids made brownies for all of the other neighborhood kids. It was their idea. A lot of their ideas involve brownies. Or kittens. Anyway, there is currently a salmonella outbreak in the Mid- West so I told them that this time there would be no licking the bowl. They agreed in exchange for a hot out of the oven brownie. I let them mix it all up themselves and then went in to slide the pan into the oven.

“Are you sure you didn’t lick the bowl?” I asked.

“No, we’re waiting for our brownies.” They assured me.

Ok, let me take a picture of these delicious brownies that you obviously completely resisted the temptation of.

Then Dave says the obligatory parental “Now if you are throwing up in the hospital tomorrow, you can’t cry -  because I warned you! ” – (Don’t worry, it’s been 48 hours and they are all fine.) And they enjoyed putting them in baggies to take out to the kids last night.

I can’t wait to see what idea you did or read or just came across! Link up! I promise to read everyone!!

To join in, grab the button and put it in your ROAK post and then link up here. Anybody who links up will appear on all of our pages for all of our readers to enjoy! Also you can click on the button below to learn about the Meaningful Mondays Blog Hop.

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