28 Days of Random Kindness - Act XVIII

Using green cleaning products

At first I resisted alot of the natural cleaning products for convenience and I was also sure they wouldn't work. I had pre-moistened disenfecting wipes, stainless steel wipes and chemicals in spray bottles that could probably wipe out a small family if not used as directed. I distinctly remember standing in our shower with rubber gloves and holding a towel over my face, my eyes tearing, as I tried to clean the tile walls. This is ridiculous I thought. The smell from this cleaner was not the pleasant 'oh, you just cleaned' fragrance but more like some industrial warehouse gone bad.

So I've been making the change, gradually yes, but I am changing. Yesterday, I wanted some floor cleaner so I picked up the storebrand green product. It was then I realized that I had actually made a significant shift to more earth friendly green products. When looking in my cupboard, where the cleaning products are stored, I found green glass cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, toilet cleaner and green putty to clean out the sinks. Some of these products even have a nice smell of mango-tangerine or coconut by the addition of natural essential oils. So I can't even claim that they don't smell nice. In terms of cleaning power I've found them to be equal to their chemical laden counterparts.

So it's a start. I know I still have a ways to go especially in terms of laundry detergents and fabric softeners. I know I could even go further and make a lot of my own cleaning concoctions with the use of lemons, vinegar, baking soda and such. Who knows, maybe in the future that is what I'll be doing.

At least for now though I am slowly eliminating harsh, chemical cleaning products from our home and in turn our water system. I'm willing to look for and try earth friendly products and I'm willing to help make a cleaner environment while cleaning our home.

28 Days of Random Kindness - Act XVI

Donated food to food bank

We have a local food bank in our community and they rely totally on donations by members of the community. It can be difficult to keep the shelves stocked, especially in times like this. There have been some weeks during the year when they have to shut their doors and turn people away because they don't have enough food to give out. It's hard to think of that person, who relies on the food bank, being turned away empty handed. Imagine how they would feel not being able to feed themselves and their children that week.


In the past I have occassionaly supported food banks during their food drives at Easter and Christmas, eagerly donated to kids and organizations that have collected at our door and my own girls have organized food drives at their schools. Today we brought in packages of spaghetti, cans of tomato sauce, cans of tuna and a two huge jars of peanut butter. I hope this can help someone this week.

28 Days of Random Kindness - Act XIV

Picked hubby up from the train station

For some unknown reason, because I never normally do this, I called my husband on his way home from work and told him I could pick him up at the train station. I don't know what came over me but I knew he had left his car home that day and would have to catch the bus from the station to our house. The effort for me would take 25 minutes tops. It was lightly snowing and windy and I just thought he might appreciate it. Well, as it turns out, he did!

As I've learned throughout this month it's the smallest acts of kindness that can make a difference to someone and really it didn't take that much effort on my part. In fact, I was happy to do it.

28 Days of Random Kindness - Act XIII

Acknowledging the kindness around me

Over the last couple of weeks I have focused on how I can be kind on a daily basis. In this endeavour I have found that I am inherently a kind person but by becoming more aware and open to kindness it has allowed me (or sometimes forced me) to take the extra step. This awareness has taken me outside of my quiet comfort zone, it has made me speak out loud when often I would be silent and it has made me take action rather than just thinking about things.

I realized how many kind things have been done for me, just in the last few days, by the people that surround me.

I've had doors opened and held, friends call, dinner made, dishes done, my heart has been touched by the music and story of three brothers who were once African refugees. I've had neighbours smile at me, strangers say the nicest things, dentist's accommodate emergency appointments, beds have been made and laundry done. I've had daily conversations with friends who support me and lift my spirits. I've had hands outstretched over icy patches, friends and family support my creative endeavours and I've even been 'hugged' by a dog.

I just want to say thank you and let you know that I noticed. I feel like I've just had a giant hug.

No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted. --Aesop

28 Days of Random Kindness - Act IX

Keeping in touch with far away friends

I have been lucky enough to have a penpal in Holland since I was 11 years old. That's over 30 years ago and probably hundreds of letters later.

From a penpal chain letter that was going around in my grade 6 class to a long-term, long-distance friendship is quite impressive and something I want to hold on to. Letters that once talked about girlfriends and hobbies, then boyfriends, university degrees, and first jobs, turned to marriage and children and just life in general.

In the 90's, just by coincidence, my husband's brother was actually living in Holland for a couple of years. When we decided to visit in 1994 we included a visit with my penpal Johanna. Imagine, at this point I had written to her for 18 years but we had never met. We arranged to meet her and her husband at a local restaurant and all anxieties of meeting each other were quickly dropped when we started talking. They then walked us through the town, took us on a tour boat, shared dinner with us in their favourite vegetarian restaurant and then invited us for coffee at their apartment. It was Johanna who first introduced us to coffee with hot, frothy milk and I have loved it ever since (although I don't think I can ever make it as good as she did). It was a great day. One of those days that I can clearly picture and remember.

Our letters are more of an annual event now, usually around Christmas time. For whatever reason, Christmas came and went and I had not posted any cards although I did receive one from Johanna. I decided I would write to her after Christmas. January passed and now we're almost into mid-February and I just didn't want to forget about sending a letter. So today was the day. I shuffled through my lovely handmade card collection and I picked a beautiful one with a purple tulip on it and then I sat down and wrote to her. It's good to sit down and actually write something with a pen. It allows you the time to think of that person.

When your mailbox is usually full of flyers and advertisements for gym memberships and of course the dreaded bills it's so nice to see a handwritten envelope and then see the familiar writing on the address. It's the kind of letter I wait to open when I get home so I can sit down, and take a moment to read it. I hope she feels the same way when she sees my handwriting below the Canadian stamps.

28 Days of Random Kindness - Act VI

Smile while you drive

So I've been making a point of trying to be a nicer driver in the last week. I feel like I'm a pretty nice driver most of the time. I stop at stop signs, I give pedestrians the right of way, I signal when changing lanes and I let people in most of the time. But this week was a bit different. I made a point of smiling at people while driving. Not some, mad, crazed-like smile, just a pleasant smile. As I waved someone in ahead of me I smiled. As I drove past the school crossing guard I gave her a smile. You wouldn't believe how many people responded back with a smile.

Instead of getting all frustrated and annoyed in the shopping centre parking lot I came out calm and somewhat peaceful. I had exchanged a rather nice moment with a women who was making an extremely wide turn around a pile of snow. But instead of getting mad I just pulled my car over to the right as far as it could go so that her car could get by. I just smiled at her as she came around and she smiled and kind of made a funny face at me because she knew she had taken the corner too wide. But really what did it matter? Was it that hard for me to move over a bit. No, and what's the point of yelling at someone for doing that. So instead of shaking my head at the wonderment of some people's driving skills and cursing under my breath, I just smiled to myself and drove along in my merry way. It was nice.

28 Days of Random Kindness - Act V

Being kind to myself

This morning was not a good morning for me. I woke up with a headache. I hate starting the day that way. It certainly takes the fun out of a Friday!

As I was searching for my Advil Liquid Gels for migraines in the cupboard I had to shuffle aside the regular strength Advil (that wasn't going to do) the Children's Advil (nope, not that either) , the kid's daily vitamins, Men's vitamins, Women's vitamins (oh, haven't had one of those recently) and the Vitamin D supplements (ouch, on that as well). It occurred to me that I had not been taking my vitamins and supplements regularly at all. It was far from a daily habit, or even weekly, let's try bi-weekly, or more like little spurts I'd remember 3 days in a row and then none for another week or two. Something so simple should be easy to do.

There have been alot of studies recently that show the health benefits of vitamin D (the sunshine vitamin). Some research has found it can guard against osteoporosis and may offer protection from breast and colon cancer, heart disease and dementia.

In Canada our northern latitude may be great for skiing but from October to March the sunlight is too feeble for Vitamin D production. During this time, our bodies draw down the stored Vitamin D built by summer sunshine, and whatever is acquired from supplements or diet.

So I'm going to fill my little weekly plastic pill container with my vitamins and supplements today and make a concerted effort to take them daily. Sometimes it's hard for me to take the time for myself, to think of myself. If I'm healthier, I'll be happier and I'll end up being a better mom, wife, friend and neighbour and at the least I'll make my doctor happy. It's ok to be kind to yourself and today I hope my little random act of kindness to myself brings a not so random effort to better my health.

28 Days of Random Kindness - Act III

Did a favour for a friend

It's amazing how often the opportunity for kindness can be set before you without any thought or planning. That's what happened to me today. It started last night when my girlfriend called to see if we had a medieval costume in our dress-up collection that her daughter could borrow. Of course, with two older daughters who have already been in grade four (the school year with the medieval studies in the curriculum) and also avid Halloween participants we did, and in fact, we had two costumes.

So, this morning I remembered to go downstairs into our storage room to look through our boxes of dress-up clothes. I found the first one fairly easily and then not too long after the second was found. I had remembered there was a special headpiece for one and I was sure we would still have it. Just a few minutes of searching and it appeared as well. Carrying them upstairs I went to grab the phone so I could call her to let her know that I had them.

That's when I realized that I could go one step further and deliver them to her house. It turns out she wasn't there at the time but I'm sure she was busy taking her younger daughter to a playgroup or volunteering in the school or running the endless errands of a busy Mom. When she gets home I'm sure she'll be happy to see them waiting for her and know that one of her errands can now be scratched off the list.


It's a little thing, but it's a good thing and I did it!

28 Days of Random Kindness - Act I

Donated clothing to a local charity

I have been meaning to sort through some clothes, pack them up and donate to a local charity for months now. Somehow and for whatever reason it just wasn't getting done. So today I put my thoughts into action. I sorted through all the clothes that no longer fit or we weren't wearing. I pulled out a few that were too worn out or damaged but for the most part all of these clothes were gently used. My girls are growing up and out of clothes before they even have a chance of wearing out. As I was folding the clothes into bags I was happy to be donating clothes of the current season. Warm long sleeve shirts, sweaters and even a warm ski jacket. Things that someone might really need right now. I hope some other girls can make use of them.

It was a couple of hours well spent. I loaded the 3 huge bags into the car (I could barely lift them actually) and delivered them right away. I left with a smile on my face. There was not a sigh of relief for me realizing that I had accomplished my goal for today but instead a bit of excitement as I wondered what my good deed might be tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.