We all know the bad and the ugly of what happened last Friday in Newtown, CT.
This is the good.
We live in a second floor traditional New England style home. From the outside it looks like a single family home, with a porch. Inside are three floors divided up into separate apartments. True New England living.
Upstairs and downstairs are young college students. So the neighbors upstairs hear my kids constant shrieks and screams. The neighbors downstairs get pounded on by the kids’ running back and forth. I’ve said sorry to them in my head countless times.
Our neighborhood is walking distance to the Harvard campus. So, smart really smart college kids, but nonetheless bachelors. Young children are scarce in our area.
Our porch (pictured above) is shared with our neighbors and as you can see our kids’ stuff dominates.
The thing is, it normally doesn’t look like that. All neat and tidy I mean.
The bikes are usually sprawled everywhere. That ball is never in the bucket, it’s constantly rolling around. And the tricycle hanging over the balcony? That never happens. But it did, today.
Tonight I walked up in a tired rush with my 3 kids to find the porch totally cleaned and organized. I have no idea who did it.
We received a random act of kindness and it felt really great.
#26acts of Kindness
A couple days ago Ann Curry from NBC News wrote about a movement started to honor the 26 lives that were lost at Sandy Hook Elementary.
Basically, you vow to do 26 random acts of kindness, each representing a life lost that day. The movement has gone viral. We all want to do something.
To get your mind going, here are some things others have done:
- Put money in someone else’s parking meter.
- Paid off someone’s Walmart layaway.
- Made cookies to hand out to strangers.
- Take food to a new mom.
Even a smile is something. When was the last time you looked a stranger in the eye and smiled?
I don’t know what exactly I’ll be doing for all of them, but this is #1! I’m opening this blog post to ANY blogger that has written about or is participating in the #26acts of Kindness. Feel free to link up your post below!
But I hope after #26; it doesn’t stop.
Creamy Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
Hi! I'm Isra, aka The Frugalette. I took my family from fancy to frugal in 3 years, with 3 kids and 1 income, oh and found the meaning of life too! To read more about my fancy life gone frugal, 
I love seeing this spread… and that you have been a recipient already. Just awesome and I can’t wait to hear of more!
It was an amazing feeling to be on the receiving end, and it feels even better to give back, thanks for linking up. xo
I hadn’t heard of this, so thanks for sharing it. I must say this has brought a smile to my face, and their have been so few of those since Friday. Thanks again, Isra
I know what you mean, it’s been so hard to smile with real emotion these days. After that happened, it made me focus on the good again, there is still good in the world. xo
When I saw Ann’s tweet a few days ago, I knew that I’d participate, I just didn’t think I would share. Thank you for inspiring me to write about this!
You’re so welcome! And thanks to the kind person who inspired me to post!
This is a fantastic movement and I’m happy to join in with other bloggers. Thank you so much for sharing about it and getting some of us ‘into action’ during this busy holiday season.
Thank you Laura! it’s great to see so much support from the blogging community.
You deserve that act of kindness and so much more. Thanks for writing about this and inspiring me to do the same!
Aww thanks Charlene and to the kind person who inspired me! It’s all a domino effect.
this is GREAT!!! what a way to spread kindness and DO SOMETHING in addition to PRAYING!! So I’m in–just want to be sure-I understand how this works–I would write a blog post and then copy the URL and share it on your blog post? Would you want to do the same on mine too? This linky thing is new to me–LOL so let me know & THANK YOU!
There are no rules to it, just whatever you like.
I saw the Ann Curry tweet a few days ago and was thinking about writing up a post about it. It was great to see your post! I’ll add mine soon.
Can’t wait to read your post!
I love that someone cleaned your porch! So awesome.
I am absolutely blown away by the amazing things I’m hearing about that people are doing. It’s so inspiring and wonderful to see!
I know the things I keep hearing are just amazing!
I can’t believe I actually wrote this… on a day I went to IKEA and Home Depot and a kid’s therapy session.. but you inspired that. Thanks for getting me off my butt
Aww thanks. So happy you posted and linked up!
Isra, you ROCK! I’m going to get a post ready today and link it up. Thank you for inspiring us all to bring it to the blog!
Aww Janet. Just doing what felt right.
I found out about this through Ann Curry’s post, and it was such a wonderful glimmer of light in the middle of so much darkness. And my daughter unwittingly got us started before it ever became a movement.
That’s exactly why I was drawn to it also. It’s the hope in a hopeless situation. Thanks for linking up your post!
kids need to be defended..there is no good in this at all!
I agree totally. This was not meant to say there was any good in what happened. It’s about the after math and trying to find healing.
I tend to be an introvert, so this is a good idea for me to intentionally go out of my way for others, not just those close to me.
I tend to be like that too, but this has helped get me out of that comfort zone.
How incredibly sweet!
I AM IN!!!
A young professional woman came to my husband and I’s table at dinner the other night. My son spilled soda all over me. He was being very fussy. The woman offered to hold our son while we had our meal. It was such a random act of kindness!
Kati, that is just about the sweetest RAOK I’ve heard. I would’ve cried! So sweet.
What a beautiful way to honor those lives…I will do a random act of kindness today.
This is a great idea. I hadn’t heard of it until I read this post. I’m going to do what I can.
I think the best is how we feel when we give back.
Love it when a blessing happens unexpectedly!