Spreading kindness

and making the world a better place...

Jul 15, 2023

“Treat everyone like it's their birthday.” – Kid President

The other day as I was searching my office desk for a tape measure, I came across a large manila envelope. Once I opened it, I recognized right away what it contained.

It was my “happy file” and it was filled with notes from former students and colleagues of mine.

Many years ago I started a project with my students that I later dubbed the Kindness Boomerang project. The Kindergarten and 1st grade students created homemade Valentine cards, which they decorated for a teacher or support staff member of the school.

The 2nd through 5th graders used their Google accounts to write special notes using Google Docs as their word processing tool. We would print those notes and place them in envelopes that students decorated for our 65 staff members.

The last few years I did this project, I had students use their iPads to also record a Flipgrid video that they dedicated to one specific teacher or support staff member.

The concept was simple but the process was time-consuming. Usually it was completed over the course of two weeks of library/tech classes. I purposely chose to do this project so it could be finished in time for Valentine’s day…typically mid winter in Wisconsin is when both the temperatures and the energy levels of people are low. So the impact of these notes brought smiles to the faces of many, right when they needed it.

Everyone needs to be reminded that what they do and who they are has purpose and meaning. Many students would ask me when they were done if they could write “extra” kindness notes to their family and friends.

I was always impressed with the excitement and joy many students had coming up with personal memories they had of the special people in their lives. Some of the older students even put notes they received from their friends on their iPad cases so they could see them whenever they used their device.

The title of the project came from a video I would show the students that depicts how kindness flows from one person to another until it comes full-circle back to the person who started it - like a boomerang.

Looking back, which is what you do when you find yourself coming across cards and notes…you are reminded about the people whose lives you were a part of and who found within you, something beautiful in your soul.

Reminding people how much you care about them shouldn’t be saved for birthdays or Valentine’s Day. Life is too short to only celebrate your contributions, and those of the people you love, one or two days a year.

Instead, being kind should just be seen as a significant part of our everyday existence. One of my favorite quotes sums it up, “Love wasn’t put in your heart to stay. Love isn’t love until you give it away.”

So go out and spread kindness, share your love for others openly and let people know what they mean to you. They will enjoy your compliments, your gratitude, your love…and you will in return, feel that joy…coming back right at you…like a boomerang.

What do you think?

My support comes from my subscribers and I really appreciate it. If you enjoy what the Kindness Boomerang newsletter provides, please feel free to share this link on your social media. Subscriptions can be either free or paid. Thanks for your support!

For information about why I started this newsletter, please go to the about section.

This week’s Smile Video

The parents of 11-year-old Paisley Gardner didn't know what to think when she became obsessed with the smooth voice of 1970s soft rock legend Michael McDonald. Steve Hartman has the story in "On the Road."

#believe #stevehartman #smilevideos

Kindness Boomerang

This is the video I would show my students when we started our Kindness Boomerang project - Watch as the camera tracks an act of kindness as it's passed from one individual to the next and manages to boomerang back to the person who set it into motion.

What I am reading…

This week I am re-reading The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale, most notably known as a founding creator of the Guidepost magazine.

This is the next book in the WISE readers book at the church I work at and I read it for the first time over 20 years ago. It was my first exposure to the idea of positive affirmations and how having a positive outlook can change how to deal with adversity.

The Amazon summary is as follows: “In this phenomenal bestseller, “written with the sole objective of helping the reader achieve a happy, satisfying, and worthwhile life,” Dr. Peale demonstrates the power of faith in action. With the practical techniques outlined in this book, you can energize your life—and give yourself the initiative needed to carry out your ambitions and hopes. You’ll learn how to:

· Believe in yourself and in everything you do

· Build new power and determination

· Develop the power to reach your goals

· Break the worry habit and achieve a relaxed life

· Improve your personal and professional relationships

· Assume control over your circumstances

· Be kind to yourself”

There are some books that are timeless and this is one of them. I look forward to diving into it more deeply this next week.

Tranquil Moments…

I asked my niece, Jennifer Malphy, if she could share some of her nature photos with my newsletter audience. Each week I will feature a new photo. Here’s this week’s:

Photo of Pine River courtesy of Jennifer Malphy.

Children’s Corner

Back in 1999, when I was an elementary school librarian, I started a project where I wrote letters (old fashioned, printed letters) to a variety of famous people. This was prior to the daily use of email and text messages. My questions were simple…

1) From your own life experiences, how has reading affected your life in a positive manner?

2) Was there any particular person or experience in your life that made you aware of the value of literature and the importance of reading?

I am going to share these letters and let you experience the joy many of my students (and myself) have gotten from their touching words - Here is this week’s:

Kid President's Letter To A Person On Their First Day Here

I loved showing this Kid President videos to my students. It's hard being a person sometimes. Kid President offers up some advice on how to be a person - an awesome person. He's gathering a list of all the things #thekidsneedtoknow. Help him add to it! Share this video with someone you love and lets give the world more reasons to dance!

The Power of Prayer…

Fr. Mike lays down the reasons we should pray and gives a few spot-on examples of how real life reflects the nature of prayer. Through prayer, God invites us into his will and gives us the dignity to participate in it, which strengthens our relationship with him.