Lucky for me, my mom is a continual source of kindness fodder.  She embodies "kind"; I would say it's her MO (method of operation).  She is always looking for good news.  She is a silver-lining-seeker.  She enters each new year with renewed wonder and hope.

I would say she comes across more stories of goodness than the average Joe.  I love that she shares these stories and accounts of humanity on the planet, but it has never occurred to me to question how she comes to know these stories.  I think I thought "that's what mom's do."  However, since becoming a mom myselt, it's quite clear to me that seeing the good in the world and sharing inspiring stories isn't (necessarily) part of the mom title, like, say, worry, guilt, and protectiveness are!

Anyway, this summer my mom and I road tripped to Minneapolis and part of the reading material she brought along revealed her kindness-story-source-secret!  She subscribes to two very cool, slightly underground, magazines:  The Sun and Ode.

I guess in the case of my mom, you are what you read.  Again, lucky for me that she's my mom.  And lucky for all of us that there are honest-to-goodness magazines (with readers and advertisers) that highlight people-to-people goodness.

BIG ACTS OF KINDNESS can stop you in your tracks, take your breath away, and reaffirm your faith in humanity.

Ironically, SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS can (sometimes) do this, too.  I'm quite sure that's why I'm a BIG FAN OF SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS.  Plus, they are just so much more accessible and practical to an everyday lifestyle :)

My acts of kindness antennae detected the following:

SMALL ACT OF KINDNESS:  On an errand to the craft store Hobby Lobby last week, I heard one customer, who was exiting, say to another customer, who was entering, "Here, would you like to use my basket?"  These were strangers to each other of course, and I could see that the basket-offer not only brought a smile to the entering customer, but also saved her the added effort of bending down to get the basket out of the tiny basket rack.  The entering customer, who was a little older, seemed grateful and said, "That would be great.  Thank you very much."  No biggie, really, but the result was a warm-fuzzy person-to-person connection. (not to mention I got a sense of community just witnessing the exchange.)

MID-SIZED ACT OF KINDNESS:  This past weekend I was in Cleveland for a good friend's wedding.  I was her Matron of Honor and in the bustle of rehearsing, visiting, etc. I left my clipboard and ceremony reading on a rock ledge out in the garden of the beautiful B&B wedding locale.  I realized my forgetfulness around 8:00am the day of the wedding and called the "office" of the B&B to see if someone could find my clipboard and put it aside for me.  Well, my call actually rang the room of a guest.  YIKES!  But, the man who answered, Doug, was surprisingly and exceedingly kind.  First, he left his room  [remember this was 8:00 am!]and went down to the "lobby" to see if anyone could take my call.  No one was around.  Then, I couldn't believe this, he called the B&B I was staying in (in the neighboring town) and said that he had gone out into the garden to see if he could find my clipboard, and he had!  He put the clipboard in the front office with a big note on it that said LOST AND FOUND---save for Emma Hand, picking up Sept.8th.  AMAZING!!  I mean he tracked down the number of my B&B and all of that completely on his own...wherever you are, Doug, that was pretty cool:  thank you.

BIG ACT OF KINDNESS:  I was checking out at our local grocery store and just had a fantastic experience.  This is how it started:  I was holding Lilah (my 6 month baby) and there was a very senior woman in line in front of me.  Lilah and the woman in front of me were enamored with each other.  The woman was playing with Lilah's hands and feet and Lilah was very interested in this woman's eyes and nose.  They were clearly enjoying each other, and since there was no one behind me in line, the cashier (Lynn) and I and Lilah and this older woman just lingered and chatted.  Good, magical, happy baby vibes permeated.  Lynn took the opportunity to tell me that she used to run a day care and she would organize outings with the babies to a nearby nursing home.  She said the older folks were so giddy with the pleasure of holding* and coo-ing with the babies.  I know she is right as I have seen the magic that a smiling baby can cast over anyone, but especially over little kids and older adults.  It is pure, unadulterated, BIG KINDNESS to organize a mingling of day-care babies with nursing home seniors.  I'm inspired, Lynn, and I'm going to see where else I can take baby Lilah to cheer people up.

Another great example of KINDNESS BEING CONTAGIOUS!

I hope you take a little comfort in the reminders of goodness that are around us on this poignant September 11th anniversary.

*Lynn made a point to tell me that she would help the older person hold the baby, just to be sure no squirming resulted in a dropped baby.