30 Days of Giving

 "Be kind whenever possible.  It is always possible." - Dalai Lama

A couple of weeks ago, my young friend Jenna invited me to join a movement.  The group Change Heroes was planning to run a 30 Days of Giving Bootcamp starting on December 2.  The idea is that people from all over the world would sign on to commit small acts of kindness each day for 30 days, those acts given to us in an assignment each morning.  As it was Jenna who asked, I automatically said yes.  She is a delightful young woman and it is not in my vocabulary to say no to her.  I really didn't know what to expect but sure enough the first challenge was in my inbox on Monday morning - high five a stranger.

This initiative is coming out of a west coast group.  High fiving strangers might seem like a good thing to do in Vancouver but I really didn't think it would go over well in Toronto.  Not a good start to Bootcamp.  I didn't complete the task.  I was significantly happier the second day when my assignment was to buy coffee for a stranger.  First of all, that's not a stretch for me.  I often buy coffee and even the occasional lunch for strangers.  My modus operandi has always been to ask the server to add those purchases to my tab but not to tell the stranger until I am gone.  This time, it didn't work out quite that way.

I stood in line at the Tim Horton's at Princess Margaret Hospital while I waited for another young friend Jen, who I was accompanying to her six month oncology check-up.  She had texted me her coffee order while she was walking to the hospital.  I ordered drinks for Jen and me and then stepped off to the side and quietly asked the server to include on my tab whatever the man behind me ordered.  He was an older man, a bit jittery and anxious to please his wife who was standing nearby.  After he placed his order I handed the money to the cashier.  He realized that his order was being placed on my bill and it caused him much consternation.  Believing it was a mistake on the part of the cashier, he wanted to give me the money.  It took some convincing that it was not a mistake but rather that I asked her to put his order on my bill.  His wife rushed over and hugged me.  My friend Jen was still not there and it turned out this couple fully intended to get to know me.  So much for hit and run.  It turned out they had just made the drive in from Ottawa.  She is sick and was very frightened.  I was so pleased I stayed to speak to them.  She needed to hear that other people have also been there and thrived.  I am well.  Jen is well.  By the end of our time together, we had exchanged numbers and taken pictures.  They invited me to visit them in Ottawa.  We promised to keep one another in our prayers.  I felt like a million dollars.

Today's assignment was to handwrite a note to someone and drop it in the mail.  It didn't take me long to decide who the note would go to.  By noon, it was written and mailed.  I hope it brings a little bit of joy to the recipient.  I've been posting my tasks on Facebook and inviting my friends to join me at Bootcamp.  Today three of them did.  I'm having so much fun.  I hope they do too.  If you decide to join us, the link is below.

www.changeheroes.com