For the first time in five years, my husband and I get a weekend away to enjoy a baseball game. Many of you know that we adore baseball, and used to go to games regularly. Financial challenges ended that practice for a while, as funding had to go to other things.
What we learned, in the last five years, was that we don’t have to spend money to have a good time. Simple things like hikes, or bringing a picnic to the beach are really just as fun as going out on the town!
We also found that the more energy we spent worrying about what we lost, the less time we had for enjoying the blessings that we retained. When we calmed down, we also realized that we didn’t miss these things that much anyway.
It’s an odd side-effect.The more one does something, the less exciting and special it becomes. Think of going to the same fancy restaurant every weekend for a few months, and you will get the picture.
While some things never lose their special nature, like a warm hug, or sunshine on our face, we have found that material things and experiences certainly can. It’s almost as if this is an additional way to find the important things in our lives. The good things never get old.
This was a beneficial discovery in our challenging five year process, and like most of the things we went through during this time, we are deeply grateful for this knowledge.
Go Sox!
Newly Weds ditch their honeymoon to practice random acts of kindness across the US.
Mark and Ismini Svensson were young and in love when they decided to get married, but they also had an intense drive to be in service to others. The couple choose to use the money they would have put towards a reception and honeymoon, to travel the US for a year doing random acts of kindness.
Ismini also wanted to honor her father, who had recently passed away after a charity event he had planned, so the two created a non-profit called Stay United that supports and inspires others to do random acts of kindness via social media. The charity also supports better education and health for youth in the New York area.
While their “50 Acts of Kindness” selfless adventure has come to an end, they hope their example will inspire other young couples to forgo the one time, expensive wedding experience in exchange for a lifetime of service and kindness to others. What an expiring example of caring!
A kind note to the person digging through the trash at a family restaurant.
Ashley Jiron, owner of the sandwich shop P.B. Jams, in Warr Acres, Oklahoma noticed that the bags of trash in her dumpster were being opened and carefully sifted through for food. It made her feel sad that a human being had to search in the garbage for something to eat.
She is a single mom and knows financial struggles. She decided to put up a flyer at her restaurant, telling the person that they could come in for a meal, no questions asked.
While the person has yet to come in for a meal, the story spread virally through social media, and has inspired Jiron to set up a program where patrons can pay forward meals for those who have nothing.
I love that a simple act of observation, created such a kind response and others were inspired by the kindness. When one small act creates something bigger to support others, a world that works for everyone is certainly coming into view.
Punk band front-man Henry Rollins speaks to America’s poorest youth.
This video is spell binding in its power. I hope it goes viral so that all kids who feel they got the short end of the stick in life can step forth with courage and focus to make their lives better, and take on the world to make the future better as well.
Rollins points out that the woes of this world are created through weakness and fear, and a childhood of struggle helps make a person stronger and more capable of standing firm in the face of challenge.
He transforms what many see as a deficit into an evolutionary and empowering journey. I am sure that all who hear this will be strengthened by it.
A cat uses its new lease on life to care for others.
My heart jumped for joy when I heard this story. Radamenes, an little black cat in Bydgoszcz, Poland was brought into an animal shelter’s veterinary clinic with a respiratory infection. The people who dropped him off didn’t think he would survive, but when the vet heard him purr, he decided to try and save him.
It turns out that the cat had a life saving mission of its own in mind. Once he recovered from his illness, he took to tending all the other sick animals by cuddling them and cleaning their wounds.
The vet staff now use the cat as a self-trained therapy animal, and all-around loving nurse, and the sick animals respond miraculously! What a lovely way for this feline to pay back the vet clinic for saving its life.
It sounds unbelievable, but it is true. We must remember that all beings on planet are evolving in the new energies, and may act in beautiful ways that have never before been seen.
Cat turned nurse at animal shelter in Poland by Dovas for Bored Panda
And finally…
A little dose of kindness.
This award winning video from the Naik Foundation brought tears to my eyes, but also a big smile. I know how this little boy feels. because I have secretly done kind things for strangers and it feels amazing!
Share and Care: Naik Foundation on YouTube
That’s the good news for today. Have a spectacular day. Please join Gavin Harrill for the Golden Gaia News Roundup on Monday.
Be Well. Be Joy. Be Love!
Alex