Day 29 - I See You

You are all in for a real treat today.  I have been contemplating the purpose of this blog and know that I am slowly reaching people--but being the impatient person that I am, I find it is not happening fast enough! The blog is not about me.  I receive emails and facebook posts all the time complimenting me on the blog, but my intent was never to draw attention to myself. It's about touching people's life with unexpected kind actions in the hopes that they will be moved enough to be kind to someone else.  Since beginning this blog, I have received so many beautiful emails and touching stories that readers have shared about their own ARKs and it occurred to me that I should include these stories {in their own words} in the hopes that this blog will grow exponentially.  You know, "they'll tell two friends, and they'll tell two friends, and so on, and so on . . . "  (Anyone know where that quote came from?)  So I asked a few people to do a guest blog and share their ARKs.  I am overwhelmed at the responses and how everyone readily agreed!

Today's post comes from my friend Sandi Keene.  I met Sandi through a mutual friend and she was one of those special people that walks into your life and you have an instant connection. She emanated peace and though I didn't know much about her, I knew that I wanted to be around her - to get to know her better. I felt like I was supposed to know her. She is a gentle soul, yet would aggressively protect those she loves. I shamelessly invited myself to a gathering she was having and was fortunate enough to be included in a private retreat she hosts each year. I spent four days with an intimate group of some of the most inspirational and women I have ever met.  It was done.  Sandi and I were meant to be friends and we will stay that way forever.  And did I mention she was an extraordinary artist? I asked Sandi to guest blog because to me, she is the epitome of unsolicited kindness.  She is always there with a little note in the mail, a 'good morning' text, an unexpected gift, and she works tirelessly to make sure everyone around her is content and their needs are fulfilled.  All of this without ever expecting anything in return.  Ever met anyone like that-where you just want to be in their presence?

So I will stop babbling and let you read her ARK:
 
"I was honored when Lorraine asked me to guest post on her ARK 365 Blog. I remember when she told me about it and I sat and read the whole blog amazed at the touching things she had done to spread kindness throughout her part of the world.  You can't help but be inspired and motivated to do something yourself.

I had been thinking about what I would do to spread a bit of cheer in someone's life.  I considered how easy it is to spread love to your friends and even strangers. That's when it hit me that the lesson was to gift someone I found challenging with an act of kindness that says - I see you. In my case, it is a teenaged girl I have known since infancy.

I knew that I would have to look past the pervasive attitude and less than appealing behavior to see her heart.  I had to see her with compassion and empathy. I had to focus on how painfully awkward those high school years can be when you are struggling so hard to find balance between fitting in and individuality.  I re-lived the feelings of being ordinary while aching to be extraordinary that seem to be widespread throughout those gawky freshman years where you are one part young woman and two parts self-conscious child.

So I pull out my paper and drew a simple sketch.

And then added watercolor.



This became a card that says "hello", I am thinking of you today.

I hope it makes her feel special, even for a moment.  And as always, the irony is, that this changes me."

A little bit about Sandi:

I am an Artist and documenter of life. I am on a mission to become an expert in simplicity. "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." William Morris.   This is my guidepost on the journey. Relationships are my passion. I am happiest when there is food and conversation mixed with laughter and love.
 

I asked Sandi to submit her favorite quote to end the post . . .

"Compassion brings us to a stop and for a moment, we rise above ourselves." ~  Mason Cooley

Day Eighteen - TSA & Zagnut

Today was a travel day for me.  As much as I love to go to different cities and satiate my wanderlust, I find the travel process tedious and angst-filled.  But I guess like all good things, we have to endure a little of the bitter first.  I was pushing my time limit by getting to the airport a little late and I didn't anticipate the longer than usual lines at security.  This is a stressful process even when you aren't running late but today the air in the security arena was charged with irritability. I felt myself getting stressed and anxious but took a few deep breaths and resolved myself to the fact that there was nothing I could do but wait.  I inched through the line and finally made my way to the screening area and dutifully removed my belt, jewelry, shoes, and laptop and set them on the conveyor belt.  Feeling confident that I was almost at the end of the process, I proceeded through the metal detector and "BEEP."  Darn it - I almost got through.  The TSA officer asked me to step aside into a glass holding room for a full body screening.  Just great.  Boarding for my flight had already started and I was still stuck in security.  Again, I took a deep breath and tried to relax; knowing that getting frustrated was not going to help anything.  Minutes passed and an officer finally came to check me for traces of explosive powder and rifle through my bags.  Three officers were checking me and they all were gruff and defensive.  I patiently waited and didn't say anything.  When they were finished, one of the officers shoved my things toward me and said I was 'free' to go.  For some reason, this statement bothered me but I swallowed hard and tried to put myself in his position.  These officers work in a thankless job with angry and frustrated travelers all day.  It is mundane work but unfortunately has to be done.  It was not these officers' fault that I was running late--it was my own.  As I gathered my things, I looked directly at the officer and he seemed braced for me to blast him with ingratitude.  Instead, I said, "I appreciate the job that you do."  The officer looked stunned.  There was an awkward few moments of silence while he absorbed what I just said and then he told me, "We don't hear that very often."  "Well, you should, " I said.  "I appreciate you."  I rushed away feeling elated.  I might miss my flight, but I knew that I made that officer feel good for a brief moment.  After all, they are working to save our lives and protect our airlines; keeping them free from all the hazards that unfortunately have become obstacles to all air travelers.
     Thankfully when I made it to my gate, the flight was delayed and I could take a few minutes to grab a  magazine and compose myself.  I was still on a "kindness high" as I got in line at a little kiosk and found what I was looking for and got in line to pay.
Behind me was an older gentlemen eyeing the candy bars.  He said to me, "I don't need a candy bar, do I?"  I smiled, turned and answered, "Of course you do!"  He chuckled at me and said, "No I don't" and at that moment he spied a Zagnut bar lined up neatly with the large assortment of other candies.  "Oh my gosh" he said, "a Zagnut bar!  I haven't seen one of those in years!  I thought they quit making them."  I replied, "well then, that settles it.  You need a candy bar!" He went on to nostalgically tell me that Zagnuts were originally made by the Clark company in Pittsburgh where he grew up.  As a boy, he rode his bike by the factory every day.  He was so sweet and I could tell the Zagnut brought back pleasant memories for him.  When it was my turn to pay, the gentleman turned to the woman behind me and began explaining about his Zagnut bar.  The cashier overheard the whole conversation and both of us were tickled by his excitement.  As I paid for my magazine, I quietly told the cashier to include his candy bar.  He seemed a little surprised, but then I could tell that he really liked the idea.  After I paid, I turned around to the gentleman who was still telling his story and said, "enjoy the Zagnut."  He smiled and waved as I ran off into the crowd at the gate.  I glanced back for a moment and saw him trying to pay for his candy bar and the cashier must have just told him I bought it for him because he glanced around, looking a little bewildered.  My heart felt full as I watched the puzzled look on his face turn into a giant smile and he turned to look for me in the crowd.  I ducked away to my gate, smiling broadly and knowing I had made someone happy for the second time today.  I guess he will be telling the story later, but more importantly, I hope he passes the kindness forward.  Judging by my brief encounter with him, I'm sure he will!
"Kind words are short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."
~ Mother Teresa

Day Seventeen - Abbracci Gratis

I received this video today and almost deleted it before I took the time to watch it.  I'm so glad I didn't.  Take a moment to watch it now . . . .

Okay, do you have tears welling up in your eyes like I did when I watched it (all three times)?  I realized this was the ultimate ARK.  I googled the YouTube video and found dozens of similar videos in many different countries.  What better way to express what I have been trying spread?  It is amazing to watch how people almost avoid the 'free huggers' at first, but eventually that first person gives in and then there is a ground swelling of love and friendship that slowly starts and then crescendos with so much intensity that it made me want to get out my markers and make a "free hugs" sign!  It is so RANDOM!  That's what I love about it.

The definition of a hug is:
     1. To clasp or hold closely, especially in the arms, as in affection; embrace.
     2.  To hold steadfastly; cherish
     3.  To stay close to

This video made me think of the human desire to be touched or held.  It reminded me of all the times that I hugged my children to make them feel better or safer or loved.  And all the times I ached for a hug myself so I could be reassured that everything was going to be all right.  Imagine how many lives were effected in that one day by strangers who just felt the world needed a {hug}.  Imagine being at your lowest point, and then someone is standing before you offering a free hug--no strings attached.  These people are my heroes - Acts of Random Kindness--it doesn't get any better than this!

"For one moment our lives met, our souls touched."  ~ Oscar Wilde

Day Five - Courtesy for a Frustrated Mother

     Today's ARK was quite unexpected.  This evening I stopped by the grocery store to quickly pick up a few needed items.  I stood in an insufferably long line and all the while, there was a mother behind me with an overflowing cart and three small and very unhappy children.  At first, I was annoyed at their behavior and was impatiently waiting for my turn so I could get out of there and away from the chaos behind me.  But then I turned to look at the mayhem and my irritation quickly melted as I truly saw the mother and viewed myself many years ago.  She looked weary as she was trying hard to deal with tired and hungry children and I realized that after she checked out, she still had to strap the children in their car seats, unload the groceries, travel home, put her groceries away and probably then had to prepare dinner.  I felt compassion and a sense of sisterhood while my mind traveled back to that time in my life.  Now I grocery shop alone, my teenaged children off doing their own thing.  A felt a pang of longing and my compassion turned to envy.  Where did those years go?  When I was having those difficult "motherhood moments," I never once stopped to think that one day I would be sad that my children would be past that stage and go out the door.  No longer annoyed, I turned to her as I was about to place my few little groceries on the conveyor belt.  I told her to please go ahead of me and she seemed shocked and embarrassed.  She apologized for her children's behavior and I told her please not to be sorry.  I said, "they seem tired and hungry and you must have a long evening ahead of you--I have nothing to do when I get home and I'm in no hurry.  Your children make me miss my kids".  Her embarrassment turned to gratitude and I could see her mood change instantly.  She got through the checkout process quickly and as she was leaving, she turned and looked at me and thanked me with a heartfelt nod.  For a moment, I felt like I was watching myself walk out that door and felt a familiar ache in my heart.  God bless you special mother--enjoy every moment, even the difficult ones.

"Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush,anxious for greater developments and greater riches and so on, so that children have very little time for their parents. Parents have very little time for each other, and in the home begins the disruption of peace of the world."

 ~ Mother Teresa 

Day Three - Resist Road Rage

   Wow, I almost didn't get to my ARK today . . . I was coming home from a doctor's appointment in an area of town I really wasn't familiar with and I realized at the last minute that I was in the far right lane and needed to be in the far left to make my exit.  I turned on my signal and tried to ease over, but the guy to my left sped up and would not let me in!  I kept trying but he stayed right in my way.  He pulled up beside me as I was approaching the last chance for my exit and I threw my hand up in a gesture as if to say, "hey buddy, what gives?  Let me in."  This crazy guy became enraged and stayed right beside me for at least half a mile, making obscene gestures and I could see the rage in his face and in his actions.  If I sped up, he sped up--If I slowed to let him by, he slowed.  It actually got a little scary but eventually he screeched off (of course, too late to make my exit).  I was really frustrated and a little bewildered.  I kept wondering what in the world would cause a person to get so angry?  All I wanted to do was get over and he easily could have slowed to let me in.  It would have been the right thing to do.  I just couldn't believe someone was so mean for no apparent reason.  I was really pissed but resisted the urge to follow and do the same to him (even though I really wanted to!)  At that moment, I felt like the character of Evelyn Couch in "Fried Green Tomatoes" when a couple of young girls whipped into her parking spot and mistreated her for no reason.  She wondered what she did to make someone be so mean.  Then she turns into "Towanda" and proceeds to smash into the girls' car!  Well, I didn't shout "Towanda," but I sure wanted to.  Still shaking and scratching my head, I decided to turn my anger into something constructive.  The rest of the day, I tried to be a more considerate driver.  I let people get over when they needed to.  I allowed people to merge and turn in front of me.  Ordinarily, I am oblivious of others when I drive, but I took the time to look around and reach out to others from behind the wheel of my vehicle.  It felt good.  It also didn't cost me any time and I had a stress-free drive.  I'd also like to think that the people I was considerate of appreciated it and made them less stressed too!
     And as for the guy with "Road Rage" (and you know who you are, Mr. Silver Subaru on Rt. 417), I hope your day gets better and I will pray for you!
     "If you judge people, you have no time to love them"  ~ Mother Teresa