giving | living peacefully with children

Beginning in January and going through February, I and my family participated in our own 29 days of giving. We try to do random acts of kindness often. However, our typical random acts are often convenient, occurring where we might otherwise be. For our 29 day challenge, we tried to grow a bit more.

Photo by Kris

We gave our clothes and other items that we didn’t need anymore to other people, often tracking down people who might need them or going out of our way to deliver the items. I wrote letters and electronic messages in friendly greeting, letting people know they were appreciated or supported or just thought of.

The kids and I went out of our way to pick up and deliver items for others. I invited over friends we had not seen for a long time. I offered free babysitting for friends so that they could do something for themselves. I wrote love notes to my husband and made gifts for my children. I made and gave away produce bags. I saved items for people. I gave help when asked and offered help when I saw the need.

We smiled at others, walked back to stores to hold open doors. We looked for the acts of giving that took more from ourselves. It was a good month. We are looking forward to another good month, as we join Dionna from Code Name: Mama in the March for Kindness.

We always try to help others out when we can. If we have something we don’t need, we try to give it away to someone who can use it. Sometimes that comes back to us.

The other weekend when we were out doing yardwork, our next door neighbor came over and offered us a bag of clothes that her daughter had outgrown. Then she asked if we could use some markers. We can always use markers. I never expected the box of markers to be a classroom size.

My daughter and I opened the box up to find an almost full classroom set of markers. Having previously looked at the price of classroom packs, I was flabbergasted. I excitedly told my husband about all of the markers. He looked at me and whispered, “They are markers.” He didn’t understand why I as so excited about markers. It’s the little things in life, though, that make life enjoyable. There was also a bit of the little girl in me who would have loved to receive such a gift.