Send a Smile

Dear Friends:

I woke up this morning searching for something random and significant; something substantial enough to make a difference. We all want to make this world a better place. We want to shake the atmosphere if we can. If we can't do that . . . if we can't have that degree of impact, we at least want to reach out and touch those who are close. But how?

What is the secret behind simple acts of kindness each and every day? I say it starts with a KISS -- that's (k)eep (i)t (s)imple (s)tupid. No need to complicate things -- find something easy and do it. But what? What could that possibly be?

Random acts should happen naturally. Kindness should flow the same way the river flows down stream (up stream if its the St. Johns). If we could only find a simple, specific do-able act and do it diligently until it becomes a habit -- wow! And what if we passed it on and others joined in? Just think how great that would be. Imagine how many people we might ultimately reach. Do the math. If I start a random act and pass it on to three of my friends who then pass it on to three of theirs and so on . . . suddenly we have this huge chain reaction and our lofty idea of showering the earth with kindness doesn't seem so silly anymore.

But first, we must find the proper act.

There is a ceramic mug next to my computer screen and it has caught my eye. It holds pens and markers. It is bright yellow with a big smiley face. Each time I get stuck at the keyboard with no ideas flowing, I rid myself of the frustration by looking over at that face staring straight at me. No matter what I'm thinking or how I'm feeling I can't help but shrug it off and smile back at that crazy little mug. Smiles beget more smiles.

Smiles do something wonderful for the soul. Smiles are contagious; they bless both the sender and the receiver. Smiles are the universal language of the heart. Smiles outspeak our words; they send waves of peace and joy throughout the atmosphere. Smiles have no boundaries. Smiles are the ultimate act of kindness. So there you have it my friends. If you want to bless others and experience a sense of joy -- smile. A smile might be the simplest and most effective random act of kindness you can ever commit. Just think, it only takes 21 days to change your behavior and smiles do not use nearly as many muscles as frowns (and thats great news for those of us aging Baby Boomers starting to see some wrinkles).

Wanna make a difference? Send a smile to everyone you know and remember to smile as you encounter others throughout your busy day.

Send a Smile,
Cindi (aka Poetic Justice)

Bounce Back and Move Ahead

Dear Friends:

I woke up yesterday to the realization that I am now almost 30 days into this Random Acts blog. I began this as a personal effort to initiate a little poetic justice in response to the September 11th terrorist attack on our country. My goal was to spread a little love and kindness and to encourage others to do the same. Sadly my efforts have been no more consistent than those good efforts most of us made in the days and weeks following that awful event. So far, I have posted blogs less than 50 percent of the time. Certainly not often enough to fulfill my original intent.

As for my acts, most have not been random. They haven't been consistent or even all that loving or kind. Some days were better than others. Other days zip -- nothing at all. Many days I stayed glued to my computer or stuck in my house doing very little for anyone but myself. The few blogs I actually did write have been so lengthy I'm sure most folks did not read them all the way through. The theory of the blog is to keep it simple and short. That's always a struggle for me.

So what does this mean and where do I go from here? More acts. Shorter blogs. Strive to stay steady. Never give up. Stamina, fortitude, perseverence. It's either move forward, stay stuck, fall behind or fold.

I choose to keep on moving.

The Word of God says we all miss the mark and fall short. The solution is to admit it, apologize when and if apologies are due, repent (turn the other way) and keep going. When we fall down or fall back or slack off -- we need to get back up, shake the dust and set our best foot forward. Bounce back! Spring forward! The longer we wait or dwell on what went wrong the longer it may take to set it right. This applies far beyond staying steady at writing a blog. May God's grace reveal how it may apply in your own life and may you arise, shake the dust and keep moving ahead.

Blessings,
Cindi (aka Poetic Justice)