For the sixth day of giving, myself and a few other givers got a pretty late start. We racked our brains for ideas that were feasible at 9:00 on a Sunday night. What's open and attracting customers at that time? Well, movies and food, of course!
Our plan: go to a cinema and a few drive-thru's and anonymously pay for the next customer's purchase.
First, we set our for the AMC 12 movie theatre. Our first giver handed over $9 and asked the attendant at the box office to use it to buy the next person's ticket. As we were leaving, we noticed her telling all of her co-workers what happened.
Next, we hit up the drive-thru at Steak-n-Shake. A friendly manager at the window took the second giver's $10 as we explained our mission. He seemed surprised (who wouldn't, it is a strange request, after all), but also glad to carry out our good deed. I'm optimistic that he actually did.
For the last stop, we rolled through the drive-thru at McDonald's (shockingly, Starbucks was closed...) and did the same thing. The employee at Mickey-D's didn't seem so happy and enthused. Rather, she was pretty skeptical and confused (a normal reaction, too). The realist/pessimist within me admits that she may very well have pocketed the cash. But, hopefully I'm wrong.
Even though this giving opportunity was kind of an easy way out (we tried not to involve money!), it still felt good to do something nice. It's always interesting to see peoples' reactions, too. It would have been nice to see the reactions of the people who received the free movie ticket and food, but at the same time, the anonymity could be a good thing. As one giver pointed out, now they'll always wonder who it was that did such a randomly nice thing!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Day 5: Spread the love, give a Free Hug!
Yesterday a few fellow givers and I went to the Delmar Loop to give out free hugs. For me, this was the most enjoyable day of giving so far. We gave so many hugs that we lost count! The day was a great success, and here's why I think so:
* The Loop is an exciting, hip area. There's more diversity among it's patrons, and people are generally more open-minded.
* The weather was beautiful
* It's move-in weekend at WashU, so many students and parents were out exploring the city
We stood on the sidewalk holding our "Free Hugs" signs, and let people approach us. This worked well; I think we learned from our first day of giving that people may feel pressured or uncomfortable if we outwardly approach them. We kind of learned to gauge when to talk to people and when to just stand there.
Overall, we met some interesting people. GiverTree already mentioned some of the Greats (like "That price is great" guy), but here are some others:
* The first group of girls to get hugs really set the tone of the day. There were five of them, and one recognized the signs and asked if we were from Rolla (apparently the school has Free Hugs shirts for sale there, and two of girls owned their own!) Those first five hugs were pretty clutch
* A big group of kids passed us on several occasions, giving us hugs each time. They kind of became our unofficial recruits, shouting out to people on the street to give us hugs!
* We met a few students from Ladue; they were taking pictures for their photography class (shout out to Mr. Sachs!)
* A group of WashU freshman crossed the street to hug us and chat
* Even amongst the people who didn't hug us, we got many stares and smiles. We even exchanged some "air hugs" with people across the street or in cars who we couldn't physically hug
In addition to the people we hugged and met, we made so many interesting observations. The following are only some:
* The demographics of "huggers" varied greatly. We had people of all races/ethnicities, ages, and both genders hug us. At the same time, certain groups of people seemed friendlier and much more comfortable approaching us and getting hugs.
* It was easy to spot the starers, especially when they were in big groups across the street, or people stopped in their cars at a stoplight. We made it a point to wave to people when they stared. They would almost always get a huge grin and wave back.
* Contrary to our thoughts, many parents encouraged their young kids to give us hugs, rather than pull them away upon seeing their child approach a stranger.
Overall, I really enjoyed this day's giving! Seeing peoples' reactions, and how positively we affected others, was really reinforcing and put me in a great mood all day. In addition to spreading kindness and happiness, I think this was an interesting social experiment. I definitely encourage you readers to try it some time. If you're not comfortable hugging strangers, at least make an effort to hug the people you care about more often!
* The Loop is an exciting, hip area. There's more diversity among it's patrons, and people are generally more open-minded.
* The weather was beautiful
* It's move-in weekend at WashU, so many students and parents were out exploring the city
We stood on the sidewalk holding our "Free Hugs" signs, and let people approach us. This worked well; I think we learned from our first day of giving that people may feel pressured or uncomfortable if we outwardly approach them. We kind of learned to gauge when to talk to people and when to just stand there.
Overall, we met some interesting people. GiverTree already mentioned some of the Greats (like "That price is great" guy), but here are some others:
* The first group of girls to get hugs really set the tone of the day. There were five of them, and one recognized the signs and asked if we were from Rolla (apparently the school has Free Hugs shirts for sale there, and two of girls owned their own!) Those first five hugs were pretty clutch
* A big group of kids passed us on several occasions, giving us hugs each time. They kind of became our unofficial recruits, shouting out to people on the street to give us hugs!
* We met a few students from Ladue; they were taking pictures for their photography class (shout out to Mr. Sachs!)
* A group of WashU freshman crossed the street to hug us and chat
* Even amongst the people who didn't hug us, we got many stares and smiles. We even exchanged some "air hugs" with people across the street or in cars who we couldn't physically hug
In addition to the people we hugged and met, we made so many interesting observations. The following are only some:
* The demographics of "huggers" varied greatly. We had people of all races/ethnicities, ages, and both genders hug us. At the same time, certain groups of people seemed friendlier and much more comfortable approaching us and getting hugs.
* It was easy to spot the starers, especially when they were in big groups across the street, or people stopped in their cars at a stoplight. We made it a point to wave to people when they stared. They would almost always get a huge grin and wave back.
* Contrary to our thoughts, many parents encouraged their young kids to give us hugs, rather than pull them away upon seeing their child approach a stranger.
Overall, I really enjoyed this day's giving! Seeing peoples' reactions, and how positively we affected others, was really reinforcing and put me in a great mood all day. In addition to spreading kindness and happiness, I think this was an interesting social experiment. I definitely encourage you readers to try it some time. If you're not comfortable hugging strangers, at least make an effort to hug the people you care about more often!
Day 5: Free Hugs
Day 5: Free Hugs was definitely our most exciting and interactive day. I would say that two fellow givers and I gave out about 100 hugs. We counted for a while, but eventually there were just too many. Here are some of the highlights of the day.
- A man rode by on his electric wheelchair, saw our free hugs signs, and yelled out "I like that price". Then he proceeded to give one of my fellow givers a hug and laughed when he rolled away.
- A woman in a taxicab stopped, got out of her car, and asked us to take picture that she could give her friend. Apparently, her friend saw the free hugs campaign video on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4), then gave us both hugs and drove away excited. We probably had our pictures taken 20 times throughout the day.
- We met one girl who was doing her bachelorette party as a scavenger hunt. They asked me to write her a letter on a notecard about why she should dump her fiance Eric and be with me. I wrote "Dear Stephanie, You should leave this guy Eric. Has he ever held up a free hugs poster? I think not. Love, GiverTree". I also drew a stick figure picture of me and her holding hands with a heart over us. She gave me a hug after I was done.
- A mom told us she "needed a hug" because her son just left her for college.
- We got a hug from a little boy who was about 2 years old. His hands barely made it around my ankles for the hug.
- One guy hugged me, then said "this isn't gay right?", then said and I quote, "it would be better if you were holding a sign that said free wings". The other giver and I laughed and said, "yeah, that would be cool".
- A new group of students from Washington University in St. Louis ran across the street to hug us.
- Two guys I didn't know practically tackled me and one started lifting up my shirt. One of them told me it was the greatest hug he has ever had.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Day 4: Giving Flowers
Yesterday I participated in a drive by! Another giver and I went to Tilles park in St. Louis to pick flowers to hand out. Ok, so we did a little taking in order to do some giving, but it was all with good intentions.
It was such a nice afternoon, and I had forgotten how beautiful Tilles park is. What a lovely time to go for a stroll outside! These Days of Giving are a win-win for all involved: it feels great to do something nice for others. At the same time, we're getting great opportunities to spend time with friends outside.
Afterward, GiverTree and myself drove around and put flowers on the windshields of parked cars. I would have liked to hand flowers to more people in person because I wanted to see peoples' reactions. But we did give a flower to an employee at an ice cream shop. He seemed really grateful and smiley when I gave him a flower. Although he kind of smirked and might have been thinking, "what the hell, this is weird." I offered a flower to a guy sitting in his car and he refused. I find it strange that a person could refuse a free flower; however, I guess we're all instructed from a young age not to accept things from strangers.
Either way, from the two reactions I did see, it makes me wonder what people did when they found a flower on their windshields. I'm hoping there were some smiles.
It was such a nice afternoon, and I had forgotten how beautiful Tilles park is. What a lovely time to go for a stroll outside! These Days of Giving are a win-win for all involved: it feels great to do something nice for others. At the same time, we're getting great opportunities to spend time with friends outside.
Afterward, GiverTree and myself drove around and put flowers on the windshields of parked cars. I would have liked to hand flowers to more people in person because I wanted to see peoples' reactions. But we did give a flower to an employee at an ice cream shop. He seemed really grateful and smiley when I gave him a flower. Although he kind of smirked and might have been thinking, "what the hell, this is weird." I offered a flower to a guy sitting in his car and he refused. I find it strange that a person could refuse a free flower; however, I guess we're all instructed from a young age not to accept things from strangers.
Either way, from the two reactions I did see, it makes me wonder what people did when they found a flower on their windshields. I'm hoping there were some smiles.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Friday's Giving
Today I took a nice long walk in my hometown of Berkeley, California and had a few run-ins with acts of kindness.
As I walked through a residential area, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of cars that stopped for me to cross the street. Not only did the cars stop for me, but the drivers often waved me across the street with a smile. Unknowingly, these drivers brightened my day! After living in India for two months, a place where pedestrians do not have the right of way, EVER, and I felt like I was in a game of Frogger every time I crossed the busy streets, this contrast of having cars stop for me was quite a shock and put a smile on my face. It felt good to know that these strangers felt like I was important enough for them to stop their cars and let me cross. Instead of blowing off a stranger, they decided to interact with me in a positive way and I am happy about that. It shows that people other than the givers who are posting on this blog are giving.
Once I got to a more urban area, I decided to check each parking meter as I walked by and put a few coins into meters that had less than 10 minutes in them. I noticed that all the cars that had handicapped stickers did not have money in their meters – I think they don’t have to pay for metered parking? So I stopped putting coins in the handicapped parked car meters.
I met up with a giver friend at Pete’s coffee and we bought a muffin for the homeless man sitting outside and sat down and talked to him. While we were talking he got a call on his cell phone (hmmm, a homeless guy with a cell phone…?) and he got a construction job for tomorrow! Great news! I was so happy to share this moment with him in his life. He was smiley and that put him in a much better mood. He said although it was just a one time job, at least it was some income. Great outlook on life considering he is homeless.
Then, the giver I was with and I picked some flowers off the street. We walked around downtown and offered them to people. Not a single person accepted a flower! It was quite discouraging. Some people just said, “No” while others said, “No, but thank you. They are beautiful.” We had one person say, “No, what would I do with a flower?” That hit me hard. ‘What would you do with a flower?’ ‘What would you do with a flower?’
I think flowers are beautiful and I thought more people would accept them, to put in their hair or just to hold, but no, we did not get any of that. So we left flowers on people’s cars at the CVS store near by.
As I walked through a residential area, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of cars that stopped for me to cross the street. Not only did the cars stop for me, but the drivers often waved me across the street with a smile. Unknowingly, these drivers brightened my day! After living in India for two months, a place where pedestrians do not have the right of way, EVER, and I felt like I was in a game of Frogger every time I crossed the busy streets, this contrast of having cars stop for me was quite a shock and put a smile on my face. It felt good to know that these strangers felt like I was important enough for them to stop their cars and let me cross. Instead of blowing off a stranger, they decided to interact with me in a positive way and I am happy about that. It shows that people other than the givers who are posting on this blog are giving.
Once I got to a more urban area, I decided to check each parking meter as I walked by and put a few coins into meters that had less than 10 minutes in them. I noticed that all the cars that had handicapped stickers did not have money in their meters – I think they don’t have to pay for metered parking? So I stopped putting coins in the handicapped parked car meters.
I met up with a giver friend at Pete’s coffee and we bought a muffin for the homeless man sitting outside and sat down and talked to him. While we were talking he got a call on his cell phone (hmmm, a homeless guy with a cell phone…?) and he got a construction job for tomorrow! Great news! I was so happy to share this moment with him in his life. He was smiley and that put him in a much better mood. He said although it was just a one time job, at least it was some income. Great outlook on life considering he is homeless.
Then, the giver I was with and I picked some flowers off the street. We walked around downtown and offered them to people. Not a single person accepted a flower! It was quite discouraging. Some people just said, “No” while others said, “No, but thank you. They are beautiful.” We had one person say, “No, what would I do with a flower?” That hit me hard. ‘What would you do with a flower?’ ‘What would you do with a flower?’
I think flowers are beautiful and I thought more people would accept them, to put in their hair or just to hold, but no, we did not get any of that. So we left flowers on people’s cars at the CVS store near by.
Day 3: Giving Solo
Our third day into the project was an independent day of giving. The original idea was to write letters to people we love and care about, letting them know how much they mean to us. I took the concept and tweaked it a little to fit my own style.
I prefer phone calls because I like talking to my friends and family personally, to hear the sound of their voices. Plus, (sometimes) I am terrible at keeping in touch with people that I haven't seen or heard from in a while. So, I called a few of my family members and friends, just to tell them I miss them and I love them. It was so great to talk to some old buddies; they were genuinely excited and appreciative of the gesture. And of course I enjoyed catching up and hearing about their lives, too. Hopefully, this will inspire me to be better at staying in touch!
On another note, I want add an anecdote relating to some previous posts about "situational" giving. I came upon a great opportunity for giving, one that was only possible because of a situation I encountered. I saw the homeless man again, the very same guy from Day 1 whom we gave sweet tarts to. He was sitting at his usual spot, under the 170 bridge on Olive st. So I passed him, went straight to Jimmy John's and ordered the biggest, meatiest sandwich they had. I walked back and gave the meal to him, just as he was leaving. He said "God bless you" several times before walking away. I truly think he was appreciative, but also shocked (understandably so).
Now, I know it's not possible to go buy a meal for all homeless people we see, every time we see them. Some could argue that my money could have been better spent donating it to a homeless shelter. But I saw an opportunity to give. Hopefully it helped.
I prefer phone calls because I like talking to my friends and family personally, to hear the sound of their voices. Plus, (sometimes) I am terrible at keeping in touch with people that I haven't seen or heard from in a while. So, I called a few of my family members and friends, just to tell them I miss them and I love them. It was so great to talk to some old buddies; they were genuinely excited and appreciative of the gesture. And of course I enjoyed catching up and hearing about their lives, too. Hopefully, this will inspire me to be better at staying in touch!
On another note, I want add an anecdote relating to some previous posts about "situational" giving. I came upon a great opportunity for giving, one that was only possible because of a situation I encountered. I saw the homeless man again, the very same guy from Day 1 whom we gave sweet tarts to. He was sitting at his usual spot, under the 170 bridge on Olive st. So I passed him, went straight to Jimmy John's and ordered the biggest, meatiest sandwich they had. I walked back and gave the meal to him, just as he was leaving. He said "God bless you" several times before walking away. I truly think he was appreciative, but also shocked (understandably so).
Now, I know it's not possible to go buy a meal for all homeless people we see, every time we see them. Some could argue that my money could have been better spent donating it to a homeless shelter. But I saw an opportunity to give. Hopefully it helped.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Day 4: Drive-By Flowering
Friday we will do one thing: drive-by flowering. The idea is simple.
1) Find some flowers.
2) Place those flowers on people's cars or in front of their homes or give people the flowers directly.
That's it. Easy peasy.
1) Find some flowers.
2) Place those flowers on people's cars or in front of their homes or give people the flowers directly.
That's it. Easy peasy.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Day 3: Giving to People that Touched You
We finished giving away free lemonade today and we are on to Day Three tomorrow. Given the last two days have been focused on giving to strangers, we thought tomorrow would be more about the people in your lives. So, tomorrow is Giving to People that Touched You. Here are some of the things we'll be doing tomorrow.
- Write letters to 3 people that have impacted your life and may not know it. At the end of the letter ask them to write to 3 other people.
- Call someone that means a lot to you that you haven't talked to in a while and tell them how much they mean to you.
- Call your family and tell them you love them (parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, cousins, kids, whoever).
- Call friends and tell them how important they are to you.
- Give to anyone else you want to give to. This giving day is about the people that touched you.
Day 2: When Life Hands You Lemons: Frustrations about our project and new thoughts
For our second Day of Giving, we went to a nearby park to give away free lemonade, hugs, candy, and stickers. The crowd was fairly sparse, but we had a few takers. For starters, just after our arrival, we saw the same woman who came up to give us a hug at the park yesterday! She gave us hugs again and we chatted a bit. Later, a mother and her kids came to our table for some free lemonade and some conversation. One member of our group even gave free candy to a police officer. There was a volleyball game going on, and afterward some of the players stopped by to quench their thirst, as well. "What are you guys doing this for?" they asked. "Just to do something nice," we responded. At the park, people seem a lot more responsive to kindness and positivity. Maybe that's because parks are naturally places full of good moods and happiness; families outside playing, people enjoying the afternoon sun and exercise, dog walkers out for a stroll. Conversely, a big store or business isn't exactly an environment that fosters genial attitudes, or encourages giving. I know that's a generalization, but that's my opinion. That's probably why we encountered so much more skepticism at Target and Dierberg's.
That being said, why do I feel so dissatisfied with our giving today? Overall, I know that we did good things. The fact that we made at least some people smile, and brightened some peoples' day is what this is all about. At the same time, I feel as though our time spent today wasn't very effective. For the majority of the day, we sat around our lemonade table outside and joked around. It didn't feel like we reached a lot of people. If we had taken the money we spent on supplies today and donated it to charity, would that have done more good than what we actually accomplished?
I think that's one way to look at the situation. But here's another way: We put smiles on at least a handful of peoples' faces. Our jokes made others laugh (and laughing is the best medicine...). Hell, WE even laughed a lot. Instead of hanging out in someone's basement inside, we got out and spent a nice afternoon outside, enjoying the weather and each other. Even though we may have "accomplished" what may seem like little, we did more than we would have done had we not dedicated the day to giving. Remember the lady whom we recognized from yesterday? Well, she was just as glad to see us today, and likewise, we were glad to see her. Ironically, we don't even know her name. But we can still walk up to her and hive her a big hug and say hello. I think that proves that we're doing what we set out to do, at least a little.
I know that this is an extremely optimistic outlook on our experiences so far. I believe that it's important to stay positive. At the same time, we should remain realistic, otherwise we are just fooling ourselves. I agree with some of the previous blog posts. For instance, it's a good point that many good deeds are contingent upon a situation that arises, which calls for help and kindness; someone's car breaks down so you offer them a lift, an elderly woman needs help carrying her groceries, etc. Maybe our random acts of kindness aren't as effective because they aren't exactly "random"; they're thought out and organized and at times uncomfortable. I also agree that an individual's acts of giving can absolutely be just as compelling as a group's. It's true, some people are naturally better or more comfortable than others when approaching strangers to offer a compliment or even an embrace. And yes, that gesture may seem more heartfelt or genuine, and make a bigger impact on the recipient.
But who knows? I think it's still important to do both: as a group, we can "push the envelope," so to speak; do things a little out of the ordinary to push people out of their comfort zones. I'm not saying we should creep people out, but acts that stand out make people think, make them remember. In addition, as individuals, we can do little things each day, when we see a good opportunity to offer help, or spread kindness.
What comes to mind is a YouTube video I saw recently. It's about one man's attempt to offer free hugs. At first he stood alone in a crowded mall, holding up his sign seemingly unnoticed (or ignored) while passersby kept walking. But then, someone stopped to give a hug. After a while, more and more people stopped to receive their hugs. Pretty soon, others joined him and held their own signs, giving their own bear hugs and group hugs. Even after the police attempted to ban him, many patrons joined him in collecting 10,000 signatures: enough to petition to keep the hugs going strong. The point is that, what started out as an odd and uncomfortable gesture ended in a simple act of kindness that affected many people, so much so that it became disheartening NOT to continue.
Realistically, we have a lot of tweaking and reforming to do: we need more ideas for giving that will impact others in a more effective way. But optimistically, we're still doing good things, and having fun doing it.
That being said, why do I feel so dissatisfied with our giving today? Overall, I know that we did good things. The fact that we made at least some people smile, and brightened some peoples' day is what this is all about. At the same time, I feel as though our time spent today wasn't very effective. For the majority of the day, we sat around our lemonade table outside and joked around. It didn't feel like we reached a lot of people. If we had taken the money we spent on supplies today and donated it to charity, would that have done more good than what we actually accomplished?
I think that's one way to look at the situation. But here's another way: We put smiles on at least a handful of peoples' faces. Our jokes made others laugh (and laughing is the best medicine...). Hell, WE even laughed a lot. Instead of hanging out in someone's basement inside, we got out and spent a nice afternoon outside, enjoying the weather and each other. Even though we may have "accomplished" what may seem like little, we did more than we would have done had we not dedicated the day to giving. Remember the lady whom we recognized from yesterday? Well, she was just as glad to see us today, and likewise, we were glad to see her. Ironically, we don't even know her name. But we can still walk up to her and hive her a big hug and say hello. I think that proves that we're doing what we set out to do, at least a little.
I know that this is an extremely optimistic outlook on our experiences so far. I believe that it's important to stay positive. At the same time, we should remain realistic, otherwise we are just fooling ourselves. I agree with some of the previous blog posts. For instance, it's a good point that many good deeds are contingent upon a situation that arises, which calls for help and kindness; someone's car breaks down so you offer them a lift, an elderly woman needs help carrying her groceries, etc. Maybe our random acts of kindness aren't as effective because they aren't exactly "random"; they're thought out and organized and at times uncomfortable. I also agree that an individual's acts of giving can absolutely be just as compelling as a group's. It's true, some people are naturally better or more comfortable than others when approaching strangers to offer a compliment or even an embrace. And yes, that gesture may seem more heartfelt or genuine, and make a bigger impact on the recipient.
But who knows? I think it's still important to do both: as a group, we can "push the envelope," so to speak; do things a little out of the ordinary to push people out of their comfort zones. I'm not saying we should creep people out, but acts that stand out make people think, make them remember. In addition, as individuals, we can do little things each day, when we see a good opportunity to offer help, or spread kindness.
What comes to mind is a YouTube video I saw recently. It's about one man's attempt to offer free hugs. At first he stood alone in a crowded mall, holding up his sign seemingly unnoticed (or ignored) while passersby kept walking. But then, someone stopped to give a hug. After a while, more and more people stopped to receive their hugs. Pretty soon, others joined him and held their own signs, giving their own bear hugs and group hugs. Even after the police attempted to ban him, many patrons joined him in collecting 10,000 signatures: enough to petition to keep the hugs going strong. The point is that, what started out as an odd and uncomfortable gesture ended in a simple act of kindness that affected many people, so much so that it became disheartening NOT to continue.
Realistically, we have a lot of tweaking and reforming to do: we need more ideas for giving that will impact others in a more effective way. But optimistically, we're still doing good things, and having fun doing it.
My Thoughts on Our Project
First of all, I think that the overarching idea that we are trying to spread is good and if everyone did it, we would live in a perfect society. With that being said, I have had some reservations about the whole Seven Days of Giving:
1) Situations dictate how we come across to the people we are trying to help.
We are trying to inspire random acts of kindness through leading by example. Our acts however, are not random - they are planned out and I think that that takes away from it. So much of doing a random act of kindness is situational and we can't go out making situations where people need help just as we happen to be walking by (unless someone wants to go out and mess with some cars tonight and then we can spring to the rescue tomorrow morning - but I don't think that's what we are here for). For this reason, like another Giver mentioned today, we might come across as a little creepy or overzealous trying to give help when no help is needed. We are trained/indoctrinated growing up not to accept things from strangers and this is basically the belief we are trying to dispel - not an easy mountain to climb. For instance today, we were making balloons and giving stickers and candy to little kids - think about the reaction a mother would have if her 7 year old child returned home from the park and said, "A stranger gave me some candy and was being really nice to me." I think we might have a problem with that.
I think that if we individually keep our eyes open and look for people in need throughout our day and not necessarily have a "plan of attack" to meet somewhere to do it, we would see more examples of people truly in need of our help.
2) What is our group?
I think that making people's lives better is the main goal of this group but are we spending our time effectively? I feel like we have established our own charity but don't have a vision of what we want to accomplish and don't have the metrics to measure our effectiveness. It bugs me that we don't know if we are even making a difference. Habitat for Humanity builds houses for people that are truly in need of a house and we are giving candy to children. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy putting smiles on people's faces but I would have rather seen the satisfaction on a family's face moving into a new house.
Anyway, I think everybody involved has good intentions but I think we need to reevaluate how we are reaching the people we are trying to reach. One thought I had was to go on with our everyday lives but to go out of our way to be nice to people and help out in any situation that we could. Then at the end of the day, use this forum to share stories about how we were able to help people during that day.
I'm sorry if that was kind of scatterbrained, but those are my thoughts on our project.
1) Situations dictate how we come across to the people we are trying to help.
We are trying to inspire random acts of kindness through leading by example. Our acts however, are not random - they are planned out and I think that that takes away from it. So much of doing a random act of kindness is situational and we can't go out making situations where people need help just as we happen to be walking by (unless someone wants to go out and mess with some cars tonight and then we can spring to the rescue tomorrow morning - but I don't think that's what we are here for). For this reason, like another Giver mentioned today, we might come across as a little creepy or overzealous trying to give help when no help is needed. We are trained/indoctrinated growing up not to accept things from strangers and this is basically the belief we are trying to dispel - not an easy mountain to climb. For instance today, we were making balloons and giving stickers and candy to little kids - think about the reaction a mother would have if her 7 year old child returned home from the park and said, "A stranger gave me some candy and was being really nice to me." I think we might have a problem with that.
I think that if we individually keep our eyes open and look for people in need throughout our day and not necessarily have a "plan of attack" to meet somewhere to do it, we would see more examples of people truly in need of our help.
2) What is our group?
I think that making people's lives better is the main goal of this group but are we spending our time effectively? I feel like we have established our own charity but don't have a vision of what we want to accomplish and don't have the metrics to measure our effectiveness. It bugs me that we don't know if we are even making a difference. Habitat for Humanity builds houses for people that are truly in need of a house and we are giving candy to children. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy putting smiles on people's faces but I would have rather seen the satisfaction on a family's face moving into a new house.
Anyway, I think everybody involved has good intentions but I think we need to reevaluate how we are reaching the people we are trying to reach. One thought I had was to go on with our everyday lives but to go out of our way to be nice to people and help out in any situation that we could. Then at the end of the day, use this forum to share stories about how we were able to help people during that day.
I'm sorry if that was kind of scatterbrained, but those are my thoughts on our project.
random acts of kindness and society: my thoughts or a rant, however you'd like to see it
"Prepare your mind to receive the best that life has to offer." - Ernest Holmes
I think there is something to be said about this quote and its relation to giving and random acts of kindness. I am a fan of this quote and believe that there is a great deal of power behind it. having a positive mental attitude and outlook on life can, I believe, make your life better by leaps and bounds, simply because you are looking for the good and making the most of it. In turn, your positive mental attitude can rub off on those you come across, potentially creating a ripple effect.
That being said, this is a concept that is easier said than done. It can be hard to stay positive when we are continuously confronted by negative media--wars, violence, civil unrest, the list could go on. Couple that with the ever widening gap of social and economic inequality and it can seem even more challenging. There may be people who have been so beaten down by the system or burned so many times that they become leery or skeptical of random acts of kindness and unsolicited giving. They can't see what it is exactly that constitutes "the best that life has to offer." Should we fault them for this?
[Note: I should have prefaced this entry by saying I'm a social worker who feels strongly about the need for systemic change, particularly among the impoverished in our society]
I'm not saying we should just give up and not try to change things, quite the opposite. Rather, I'm saying that we need to understand that it is not easy for everyone to see the goodness in life or, more to the matter, to see the goodness in strangers. After all, we raise our children telling them not to talk to strangers...maybe some have just taken the lesson a little more seriously than others.
I also believe that because of the resistance that we may face to these random acts of kindness it is even more important that the kindness being dished out is organic, natural, and genuine. And I'm not saying that the acts that have been carried out thus far have not been genuine, because I truly believe that they have been. I'm saying that we should not fault others for not carrying out the same acts of kindness because they are uncomfortable. If the person is uncomfortable then the chances of their action(s) coming across as disingenuous or "creepy" are much higher; in which case the recipient may be pushed further down the path of seeing life cynically.
An earlier entry indicated that they felt that those who were uncomfortable performing random acts of kindness had not received them (sorry if I misinterpreted this). I have to say I disagree. As someone who has benefited from random acts of kindness, I can honestly say that there are some types of random kindness that I am simply not comfortable with. I've never been great with approaching strangers, so were I to perform random acts of kindness that involved approaching random strangers, it might not go so well--for either of us.
So I say, do what works for you. Do what feels natural and flows easily from you, because then it can be truly and positively impactful. It doesn't take one large, earth shattering thing either...there is immense, and often untapped, power in the little things--smiles, holding doors, saying hello, have a nice day, and thank you. Seeing the kind of societal change that has been talked about will not be quick and easy, it's a marathon. While I've never run a marathon, I understand that it takes a steady pace and lots of practice...the same could be said for goodness and change. The first step is to see the goodness within yourself and then spread it to those around you, because "goodness is contagious."
I think there is something to be said about this quote and its relation to giving and random acts of kindness. I am a fan of this quote and believe that there is a great deal of power behind it. having a positive mental attitude and outlook on life can, I believe, make your life better by leaps and bounds, simply because you are looking for the good and making the most of it. In turn, your positive mental attitude can rub off on those you come across, potentially creating a ripple effect.
That being said, this is a concept that is easier said than done. It can be hard to stay positive when we are continuously confronted by negative media--wars, violence, civil unrest, the list could go on. Couple that with the ever widening gap of social and economic inequality and it can seem even more challenging. There may be people who have been so beaten down by the system or burned so many times that they become leery or skeptical of random acts of kindness and unsolicited giving. They can't see what it is exactly that constitutes "the best that life has to offer." Should we fault them for this?
[Note: I should have prefaced this entry by saying I'm a social worker who feels strongly about the need for systemic change, particularly among the impoverished in our society]
I'm not saying we should just give up and not try to change things, quite the opposite. Rather, I'm saying that we need to understand that it is not easy for everyone to see the goodness in life or, more to the matter, to see the goodness in strangers. After all, we raise our children telling them not to talk to strangers...maybe some have just taken the lesson a little more seriously than others.
I also believe that because of the resistance that we may face to these random acts of kindness it is even more important that the kindness being dished out is organic, natural, and genuine. And I'm not saying that the acts that have been carried out thus far have not been genuine, because I truly believe that they have been. I'm saying that we should not fault others for not carrying out the same acts of kindness because they are uncomfortable. If the person is uncomfortable then the chances of their action(s) coming across as disingenuous or "creepy" are much higher; in which case the recipient may be pushed further down the path of seeing life cynically.
An earlier entry indicated that they felt that those who were uncomfortable performing random acts of kindness had not received them (sorry if I misinterpreted this). I have to say I disagree. As someone who has benefited from random acts of kindness, I can honestly say that there are some types of random kindness that I am simply not comfortable with. I've never been great with approaching strangers, so were I to perform random acts of kindness that involved approaching random strangers, it might not go so well--for either of us.
So I say, do what works for you. Do what feels natural and flows easily from you, because then it can be truly and positively impactful. It doesn't take one large, earth shattering thing either...there is immense, and often untapped, power in the little things--smiles, holding doors, saying hello, have a nice day, and thank you. Seeing the kind of societal change that has been talked about will not be quick and easy, it's a marathon. While I've never run a marathon, I understand that it takes a steady pace and lots of practice...the same could be said for goodness and change. The first step is to see the goodness within yourself and then spread it to those around you, because "goodness is contagious."
Great Video About Random Kindness
A friend sent me this great video about kindness. It's pretty fitting for the 7 Days of Giving.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbk980jV7Ao
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbk980jV7Ao
Day One Proves the Importance of Giving
I participated with Giveroo on Day One of the 7 Days of Giving in St. Louis, MO. Day One was pretty tough. We were turned away from Dierbergs and Target by management and had a number of givers pass on helping out the first day. Now I'm not trying to harp on our difficulties. If anything, the results of Day One show just how important random acts of kindness are.
We heard a lot of discomfort and uncertainty regarding our random acts of kindness.
Dierbergs Manager: "We don't want our customers to feel pressured and uncomfortable."
Target Employee: "[Management] doesn't even let the Salvation Army stand out front with the bell. They have a strict policy against anyone being outside the store."
Potential Giver: "I don't know if I feel comfortable going out there. I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable."
The quotes above demonstrate how rare random acts of kindness are today. I would say people don't feel negatively about random kindness, but they definitely are unfamiliar with it. One of our own givers said he didn't want to make people feel uncomfortable. I agree, it's never good to make others feel uncomfortable. Sometimes though, it's important to show people that whats going on isn't bad at all. In fact, it's actually pretty good. Here's my logic:
People feel uncomfortable about receiving random kindness (they think we're soliciting, they think we expect something in return) >> We decide not to do random acts of kindness because they feel uncomfortable >> No one ever does random acts of kindness >> People continue to feel uncomfortable about being kind to strangers
That could be the result or it could be:
People feel uncomfortable about receiving random kindness (they think we're soliciting, they think we expect something in return) >> We do random acts of kindness anyway >> People have a positive experience >> They realize they not only don't mind a free hug or a sticker, but they actually really like it >> They then turn around and tell someone about the kindness they received and they give hugs and kindness to people they know >> Kindness trickles, the world is a better place
Obivously, this is an optimistic view, or at least I thought it was until we interacted with people yesterday. Here were some quotes from yesterday:
Lloyd (Dierbergs Employee): "You're being so nice to help me, can I get you a drink or something? It's hot out here (with smile and laughing)."
Danielle at Dierbergs: "I had to stop and get my free hug (she actually backed up her truck and got out for her hug)."
Woman in Park: "There should be more people out here doing things like this."
I say if people feel uncomfortable it's only because they haven't experienced random acts of kindness. If we stop now nothing changes. If we keep going, maybe just one person will see how great kindness can be. And just maybe they'll be a little bit kinder that day. 6 Days of kindness left. I say we keep going.
We heard a lot of discomfort and uncertainty regarding our random acts of kindness.
Dierbergs Manager: "We don't want our customers to feel pressured and uncomfortable."
Target Employee: "[Management] doesn't even let the Salvation Army stand out front with the bell. They have a strict policy against anyone being outside the store."
Potential Giver: "I don't know if I feel comfortable going out there. I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable."
The quotes above demonstrate how rare random acts of kindness are today. I would say people don't feel negatively about random kindness, but they definitely are unfamiliar with it. One of our own givers said he didn't want to make people feel uncomfortable. I agree, it's never good to make others feel uncomfortable. Sometimes though, it's important to show people that whats going on isn't bad at all. In fact, it's actually pretty good. Here's my logic:
People feel uncomfortable about receiving random kindness (they think we're soliciting, they think we expect something in return) >> We decide not to do random acts of kindness because they feel uncomfortable >> No one ever does random acts of kindness >> People continue to feel uncomfortable about being kind to strangers
That could be the result or it could be:
People feel uncomfortable about receiving random kindness (they think we're soliciting, they think we expect something in return) >> We do random acts of kindness anyway >> People have a positive experience >> They realize they not only don't mind a free hug or a sticker, but they actually really like it >> They then turn around and tell someone about the kindness they received and they give hugs and kindness to people they know >> Kindness trickles, the world is a better place
Obivously, this is an optimistic view, or at least I thought it was until we interacted with people yesterday. Here were some quotes from yesterday:
Lloyd (Dierbergs Employee): "You're being so nice to help me, can I get you a drink or something? It's hot out here (with smile and laughing)."
Danielle at Dierbergs: "I had to stop and get my free hug (she actually backed up her truck and got out for her hug)."
Woman in Park: "There should be more people out here doing things like this."
I say if people feel uncomfortable it's only because they haven't experienced random acts of kindness. If we stop now nothing changes. If we keep going, maybe just one person will see how great kindness can be. And just maybe they'll be a little bit kinder that day. 6 Days of kindness left. I say we keep going.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
First Day of Giving
Today I participated in the 7 Days of Giving and it felt good!
I was a counselor on a retreat that aimed to help freshmen at University of Southern California get acclimated to school and meet other freshman before classes even start. During our block of free time I recruited another counselor to go around throwing complements out with me. We first hit up the pool to comment on cute bathing suits and cool sunglasses. This went well and the kids responded with smiles, but my co-complementer brought up a good point: we were just giving complements based on physical appearances; instead, it might mean more to complement who someone is on the inside. The dilemma about this was that there were about 80 freshman on this retreat who we had just met the day before. It’s hard to complement someone’s personality when you hardly even know his or her name.
So, we settled on complementing physical appearances of strangers and people who we didn’t know very well and gave “deeper” complements to our co-counselors who we knew more personally. Everyone took the complements well I think some of them really appreciated being recognized.
When the retreat was over and we returned to LA, two of my friends and I headed to Superior, a local grocery store. We started collecting carts, lining up the three wheeled and broken carts at the back of the stack. After a bit, my friends went inside to buy some groceries.
I continued to gather carts and then I spotted a man in an orange construction vest also collecting carts. I introduced myself and exchanged smiles with Jose. I told Jose about the 7 Days of Giving and asked if it was OK if I helped him collect carts. He said, “Yeah, maybe,” but seemed hesitant to let me help him (but not in a mean way – his smile told me he was a real nice guy). So I went ahead and got a cart and brought it back only to hear Jose say, “No, it’s ok, you don’t have to.” I went on to explain that I was happy to do it, but he again declined my offer to help. I respected his feelings and I went inside to meet up with my friends. On our way out we said goodbye to Jose and he left us with a smile and a wave.
We tried, but I think Jose felt like it was his job to collect the carts and he wanted to do the job that he was getting paid to do. A man with a real work ethic. ☺ Well it was fun anyway.
I was a counselor on a retreat that aimed to help freshmen at University of Southern California get acclimated to school and meet other freshman before classes even start. During our block of free time I recruited another counselor to go around throwing complements out with me. We first hit up the pool to comment on cute bathing suits and cool sunglasses. This went well and the kids responded with smiles, but my co-complementer brought up a good point: we were just giving complements based on physical appearances; instead, it might mean more to complement who someone is on the inside. The dilemma about this was that there were about 80 freshman on this retreat who we had just met the day before. It’s hard to complement someone’s personality when you hardly even know his or her name.
So, we settled on complementing physical appearances of strangers and people who we didn’t know very well and gave “deeper” complements to our co-counselors who we knew more personally. Everyone took the complements well I think some of them really appreciated being recognized.
When the retreat was over and we returned to LA, two of my friends and I headed to Superior, a local grocery store. We started collecting carts, lining up the three wheeled and broken carts at the back of the stack. After a bit, my friends went inside to buy some groceries.
I continued to gather carts and then I spotted a man in an orange construction vest also collecting carts. I introduced myself and exchanged smiles with Jose. I told Jose about the 7 Days of Giving and asked if it was OK if I helped him collect carts. He said, “Yeah, maybe,” but seemed hesitant to let me help him (but not in a mean way – his smile told me he was a real nice guy). So I went ahead and got a cart and brought it back only to hear Jose say, “No, it’s ok, you don’t have to.” I went on to explain that I was happy to do it, but he again declined my offer to help. I respected his feelings and I went inside to meet up with my friends. On our way out we said goodbye to Jose and he left us with a smile and a wave.
We tried, but I think Jose felt like it was his job to collect the carts and he wanted to do the job that he was getting paid to do. A man with a real work ethic. ☺ Well it was fun anyway.
Day 1: Grocery Stores and Keeping Score
Today was our first official day of giving. We started off with just two of us, equipped with signs that read 'free hugs', candy, stickers, and lots of anticipation as to how the day would turn out. Here are the highlights of our day's experiences:
First stop: Dierberg's.
To be honest, we weren't really sure where to start. So we asked the man in charge of bringing in the carts. His name is Lloyd. Lloyd is a pretty genial guy; as soon as we introduced ourselves and explained our goal to do nice deeds, he smiled and chuckled. I think Lloyd was pleased to have some help, and he put us to work gathering carts in the parking lot.
Then, we stood at the entrance of Dierberg's (chatting with Lloyd, of course) holding our 'free hugs' posters and offering stickers, as well. One woman immediately came up and wanted a big hug. My first for the day! (One for me, none for my partner...) Soon after, a truck rolled by, passing us. But it stopped, backed up, and a woman in the passenger seat got out of the car to get a free hug! (That made one for my partner, even stevens) The responses we got were really encouraging; no one seemed to be averse to our kindness or creeped out at all.
Unfortunately, big corporations don't feel the same way. The manager came out and told us that we had to leave the lot, claiming that people feel pressured to respond or give in to solicitors. Ok, understandable. So, we switched locations.
Next stop: Target.
Ok, so it's another big company. But we collected some shopping carts and gave away candy to construction workers.
Best part of the Target experience: witnessing a young man offer to help an elderly woman move a heavy item into her trunk. And he wasn't even part of our crew! I ran up to him and introduced myself. I told him I saw his kind deed, and just wanted to say it didn't go unnoticed, and to keep doing nice things. Lots of appreciation and smiles were exchanged.
But, Target has a strict policy on solicitors, and we were quickly turned away. I am surprised to find that they don't even allow Salvation Army volunteers to ask for donations.
Driving home: Saw a homeless man with a sign that read, "Will work for food," sitting at the corner of Olive St. and 170 exit. We tossed him some candy; it's all we had. Hopefully it helped.
Last attempt at kindness for the day: Verbal compliments in the mall.
We hit up the Galleria with the hopes of brightening some customers' day with some nice compliments. Fortunately, another friend joined us, making a total of 3 givers! I suppose we needed to think this one through a bit more.
Main problem: what's the best way to reach the most people in an effective way? Couldn't decide whether to walk around, giving compliments as we ambled, or to stand in one location and shout them out. We settled on giving some compliments in American Eagle. We complimented a few women on their accessories (cute bag, nice scarf...). People are really friendly and received the comments well. They would stop and have conversations with us, and tell us where they got the item or the story behind it. I definitely want to try verbal compliments again. I feel like this one has a lot of potential if we can perfect the deliverance.
All in all, a good first day! Can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store for us.
First stop: Dierberg's.
To be honest, we weren't really sure where to start. So we asked the man in charge of bringing in the carts. His name is Lloyd. Lloyd is a pretty genial guy; as soon as we introduced ourselves and explained our goal to do nice deeds, he smiled and chuckled. I think Lloyd was pleased to have some help, and he put us to work gathering carts in the parking lot.
Then, we stood at the entrance of Dierberg's (chatting with Lloyd, of course) holding our 'free hugs' posters and offering stickers, as well. One woman immediately came up and wanted a big hug. My first for the day! (One for me, none for my partner...) Soon after, a truck rolled by, passing us. But it stopped, backed up, and a woman in the passenger seat got out of the car to get a free hug! (That made one for my partner, even stevens) The responses we got were really encouraging; no one seemed to be averse to our kindness or creeped out at all.
Unfortunately, big corporations don't feel the same way. The manager came out and told us that we had to leave the lot, claiming that people feel pressured to respond or give in to solicitors. Ok, understandable. So, we switched locations.
Next stop: Target.
Ok, so it's another big company. But we collected some shopping carts and gave away candy to construction workers.
Best part of the Target experience: witnessing a young man offer to help an elderly woman move a heavy item into her trunk. And he wasn't even part of our crew! I ran up to him and introduced myself. I told him I saw his kind deed, and just wanted to say it didn't go unnoticed, and to keep doing nice things. Lots of appreciation and smiles were exchanged.
But, Target has a strict policy on solicitors, and we were quickly turned away. I am surprised to find that they don't even allow Salvation Army volunteers to ask for donations.
Driving home: Saw a homeless man with a sign that read, "Will work for food," sitting at the corner of Olive St. and 170 exit. We tossed him some candy; it's all we had. Hopefully it helped.
Last attempt at kindness for the day: Verbal compliments in the mall.
We hit up the Galleria with the hopes of brightening some customers' day with some nice compliments. Fortunately, another friend joined us, making a total of 3 givers! I suppose we needed to think this one through a bit more.
Main problem: what's the best way to reach the most people in an effective way? Couldn't decide whether to walk around, giving compliments as we ambled, or to stand in one location and shout them out. We settled on giving some compliments in American Eagle. We complimented a few women on their accessories (cute bag, nice scarf...). People are really friendly and received the comments well. They would stop and have conversations with us, and tell us where they got the item or the story behind it. I definitely want to try verbal compliments again. I feel like this one has a lot of potential if we can perfect the deliverance.
All in all, a good first day! Can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store for us.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Plan for 1st Day of Gving!
The squad from St. Louis decided on our first day of giving. We'll be giving at grocery stores in the afternoon and giving at the mall at night. Read below for more details.
1. Giving at the Grocery stores:
• Push carts in
• Bag groceries
• Carry grocery bags to cars
• Umbrella shuttle - so people don't walk to the store in the rain
• Free hugs
Meeting Time and Place: 1pm Dierberg’s @ 8457 Eager Rd. St. Louis, MO 63144
2. Giving Verbal Compliments and Free Hugs
Meeting Time and Place: 5 pm @ Mark Shale entrance, Galleria
Supplies for the day: posterboard for a free hugs sign, markers for the free hugs sign, umbrellas to shuttle people, stickers to give out, enthusiasm!
I hope if you're not in St. Louis then you'll do some giving too. If you do, please post it on the blog.
1. Giving at the Grocery stores:
• Push carts in
• Bag groceries
• Carry grocery bags to cars
• Umbrella shuttle - so people don't walk to the store in the rain
• Free hugs
Meeting Time and Place: 1pm Dierberg’s @ 8457 Eager Rd. St. Louis, MO 63144
2. Giving Verbal Compliments and Free Hugs
Meeting Time and Place: 5 pm @ Mark Shale entrance, Galleria
Supplies for the day: posterboard for a free hugs sign, markers for the free hugs sign, umbrellas to shuttle people, stickers to give out, enthusiasm!
I hope if you're not in St. Louis then you'll do some giving too. If you do, please post it on the blog.
A Quote:
"No kind action stops with itself. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees."
--Amelia Earhart
--Amelia Earhart
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The 7 Days of Giving: Feel Better, Be Happier
What is the 7 Days of Giving?
The 7 Days of Giving is one week dedicated to random acts of kindness. Basically, we want people to feel better and be happier.
When does the 7 Days of Giving occur?
The 7 Days of Giving lasts all day, beginning Tuesday, August 18th through Monday, August 24th. After that, giving happens forever.
What are the guiding principles of the 7 Days of Giving?
- We want people to feel better and be happier
We aren’t trying to change the world. The idea is really simple. We just want to spread happiness to others, whether it is short-term or long-lasting. Hopefully, those people will turn around and extend the goodwill to other people, as well.
- Everyone and anyone can be involved
You don’t have to be in St. Louis to participate. People in Los Angeles have already decided to take part in the 7 Days of Giving. We want everyone to be involved.
- The purpose is not to boost our own egos
The 7 Days of Giving isn’t about building our reputations. It’s about giving to others. We want our names to remain as disconnected as possible. The focus is on giving, not on us.
- Giving does not stop after 7 days
Even though the project involves doing acts of kindness for 7 straight days, we are going to keep giving after the week is over. You can always give someone else a hug or offer a nice complement. Compassion doesn’t have to be a planned affair. You can always give. It doesn’t just fit in a 7 day window.
What are we going to do for the 7 days?
We haven’t decided exactly what we’re going to do, but we have definitely started brainstorming. Here are some of our ideas so far.
- Verbal compliments
- Share our umbrellas to use when it’s raining
- Wash peoples’ car, home, or business windows
- Pump peoples’ gas
- Gather shopping carts in parking lots and return them to the stores
- Play board games in the park to entertain kids
- Give away free candy
- Take peoples’ restaurant pagers and let them walk around, call them when the table is ready
- Open doors for people
- Make balloon animals
- Load cars with groceries
- Help people move in at a local college
- Shout out the current time
- Free car washes
- House to house work offering all kinds of services (lawn mowing, moving, computer issues, etc)
- Offer designated driver or free taxi service at night
- Pick up people at the bus station and take them where they want to go
- Free courier service
- Stand in line for someone waiting at Wal-Mart to make a return so they can keep shopping
- Take pictures for people and email them for free
- Offer to take pictures for people when they are in groups
- Refill toilet paper at restaurants
- Clean bathrooms all over the place
- Free lemonade stand
- Pick up trash in parks and other public places
- Free hugs
- Hand out clipped coupons
- Hand out free stickers
- Drive-by flowering
- Write a positive letter to people who have made an impact in your life
- Hand people food to feed the birds/fish (parks, zoo, etc.)
What are the lingering questions?
Help improve the 7 Days of Giving by helping us with some of the lingering questions we are dealing with. Please comment on the blog as much as you like. We welcome all suggestions!
- How should we decide which giving activities to do?
- How should we respond to people who aren’t receptive or react negatively to the 7 Days of Giving?
- How do we get more people involved?
Thank you to everyone who has read the blog, helped us plan, participated in some of the giving, smiled at someone, given someone a hug, or done something nice today. You are making the world a little bit better one gift at a time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
