There are days that arrive with banners and bugles, fanfares and frolic, parties and parades attached to them. Like Mardi Gras today.
And then there are days that simply tap softly on the door and wait.
Today is one of those.
Random Acts of Kindness Day does not ask for grand gestures or long explanations. It does not require a plan, a budget, or a public witness. It just asks us to notice — and then act — in whatever small way presents itself.
Sometimes that looks like holding a door a moment longer than is polite.
Sometimes it sounds like a “Thank You” said clearly, without rushing past it.
Sometimes it is letting someone go ahead of you when you are tired and in a hurry — and choosing not to make a story about it afterward.
Sometimes it is an unexpected visit.
Sometimes it is a note tucked into a lunch bag or backpack.
Sometimes it is paying for the order behind you in a drive-thru.
Sometimes it is a phone call made without waiting for the perfect moment.
Sometimes it is simply a smile and a moment of acknowledgment at the register.
The thing about kindness is that it rarely announces itself.
It tends to arrive quietly, do its work, and leave without asking to be remembered.
And that may be why it works.
A small kindness does not try to fix the world.
It simply steadies one corner of it.
And we never know how far the ripples may travel.
We never know what burden someone is carrying when they cross our path. The weight is often invisible. But kindness has a way of lightening a load, even if merely for a little while.
No spotlight required.
No tally kept.
No expectation of return.
Just a moment that says — You’re not alone here.
If today offers you a chance to show kindness — even a small, ordinary kind — take it.
And if it does not, be patient. These moments have a way of finding us most often when we are not looking for them.
And that has always felt like the truest kindness of all.
‘Til next time, then — Jim (and Red!)
P.S. Little Red Bear once said that kindness does not need to be big to be real.
The smallest kindnesses are often the easiest to carry — and the longest remembered.
Having come across a line the other day that stopped me in my tracks, I wanted to share it with you — not because it was clever, but because it was so clear.
“Don’t wait for other people to be loving, giving, compassionate, grateful, forgiving, generous, or friendly . . . lead the way!” — Steve Maraboli
That simple idea has a way of lingering.
So often, we wait.
We wait for the mood in the room to improve.
We wait for someone else to soften first.
We wait for the world to give us permission to be kind.
But kindness has never needed permission.
Being loving, generous, or compassionate is not something done after conditions improve. More often than not, it is the very thing that improves them.
Leading the way does not have to be loud.
It does not require a spotlight or a platform.
Sometimes it looks like:
offering patience when impatience would be easier
choosing gratitude when complaint feels tempting
being friendly without checking first to see if it will be returned
Small acts, yes — but small acts have a way of traveling farther than expected. Like ripples on water, they move outward quietly, reaching people and places we may never know about. And isn’t that a good thing?
There is a quiet power in deciding to go first.
First to Smile.
First to Forgive.
First to offer Grace.
In uncertain or heavy times, that choice matters even more — not because it fixes everything, but because it reminds us, and those around us, of who we still are —
that we are human, and that we care.
There is no way to know who needed to see that kindness today.
No way to measure the ripple it may have started.
And that is all right. What matters is simply that the kindness was offered.
The world does not change only through grand gestures. Sometimes it shifts because one person decided not to wait.
So if there is a question about what to do today, perhaps this is enough —
Be the Loving one.
Be the Generous one.
Be the Friendly one.
Lead the way.
Doesn’t that feel like a good place to begin — leading with Kindness?
‘Til next time. — Jim (and Red!)
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These illustrations were created with the assistance of AI
A week ago I was dog and pet sitting for one of my sons while he and my daughter-in-law vacationed in Cancun, and leaves began to first display Autumn colors here.
Then, on Monday and Tuesday of this week, 8 inches of rain soaked our area, caused widespread flooding along with many school closures, and blew newly colored leaves off trees already.
On Tuesday, folks headed to the polls in the Presidential election across the U.S., and officials declared Donald Trump the winner in a decisive victory.
And on Wednesday morning, following the overnight announcement of the election results, the world as we knew it ended. Or so it seemed anyway, as many around me fell into a sinking feeling of hopelessness, depression, and despair. Feeling drowned and done in by both the rain and the election.
Well, let’s talk about that. Because talking about problems and bringing them out into the light of day can help us to not only work thru what is bothering us but also to figure out what we can do about it all going forward.
Here in the Midwest, on the outskirts of St. Louis, Missouri, June is the “Early Introduction to Summer” month. This is when all of the new summer activities are still exciting and fun before the inevitable heat and humidity of August wear you down. But we won’t go on about that stuff yet.
Right now, it is an exciting time, with June unquestionably the month of baby deer.
Birds begin to raise their young; baby squirrels and bunnies venture out of nests for the first time; there are summer barbeques, trips to the beach, water balloons, toasting marshmallows over a campfire, charging down the backyard slippy slide, visits to the park, and so much more.
But now, changing the topic to address the obvious for those who follow along here regularly— it has been a minute, as they say. Once again, I have been a few months away from writing following yet another extensive spinal surgery, for which I sincerely apologize to faithful followers. This surgery was extensive, from top to bottom, with the resultant recovery and rehab a much longer and slower hill to climb back up to get going again.
But more about that in a minute. We have a lot of catching up to do.
Do you remember the days when someone new would move into the neighborhood and folks would bring them warm casseroles for dinners or a basket of things to welcome them into the neighborhood?
Or, the tradition of bringing a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine as a blessing to ensure everyone would have enough to eat in the home? Some would bring salt and a new broom along, too.
Good Neighbor Day celebrates the importance of both having and being a good neighbor, and provides an opportunity to go out and get to know our neighbors a little better.
It is a blessing to have a good neighbor, and even more important to BE one. Oftentimes, neighbors become friends and help to look out for each other, especially if one or the other happens to be elderly or somehow impaired or challenged in any way.
Being a good neighbor helps to make good neighbors. Like so many things in life, it is simply all about kindness, isn’t it? A kind word, gesture, and a helping hand. Being there for someone and them being there for you in times of need.
I encourage you to call or take the time to visit with a neighbor today. We never know where it may lead, perhaps to a wonderful new friendship.
If you love the Autumn season as much as we do, I invite you to check out our most recent post – “Sharing Autumn Joy & Free Wallpaper Images!”and register to be notified of every new post and feature!
“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” – John Wooden
“Definition of a good neighbor: someone to be trusted; a courteous, friendly source of help when help is needed; someone you can count on; someone who cares.” Edward B. Rust, Jr.
“And good neighbors make a huge difference in the quality of life. I agree.” Robert Fulghum
This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to be able to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating.
If you enjoy your visits and time with us, I invite you toJoin our new Patron Communitytoday, because together we can do so much!
With the help of patrons, we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Senior Citizens, School Libraries and Classrooms, and to those who could otherwise not obtain a copy.
Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to continue this as a Non-Monetized site free of distracting advertisements, dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of Happiness, Inspiration, Kindness, Environmental Awareness, and Conservation with everyone.
“Being a good neighbor is an art which makes life richer.” — Gladys Taber
Thank You for visiting with us!
Please feel free to share with family and friends. Likes, Shares, & Comments are truly appreciated and help greatly to expand our reach and encourage new readers and visitors!
Welcome to my Writing Pages and the first official entry for the new year — 2022!
Wow, where does the time go? It seems like only yesterday that the Christmas and Holiday Seasons were just beginning. And now we are already in the second week of January!
Have you made any New Year’s Resolutions? How is it going? Please don’t be shy. Feel free to share your resolutions and progress in the Comments!
I have read that about 40% of Americans make resolutions for the new year and that roughly 75% of people who actually do make resolutions are still successful in sticking with them after the first week. After that, the sticktoitiveness seems to taper off.
Sadly, only about 8% actually succeed in keeping to their New Year’s Resolutions in the end. But, that is 8% of us who are hopefully all the better for the experience! So you go, all you little resolutors out there! We’re rootin’ for you to follow thru to the end and succeed!
The only resolution that I made for the new year is to get back to writing consistently. That involves sharing more new materials on the Writing Pages and lighting a fire under my story character friend Little Red Bear’s furry butt to get some new stories and at least one more book assembled and published by the end of the year. So far, so good, as evidenced by this new post today. But enough about that.
Getting to the subject then, as the new year was just beginning a week ago someone asked me what quotes most influence me regarding how I live my life, guiding principles, etc. I had to think about that. But not for long, really. The answer was quite obvious once I put my mind to it.
As followers here know, I tend to share a number of relevant quotes at the end of each writing piece. Writing topics thru the year here range in subject matter from Positivity, Kindness, Compassion, Children, Family, Environment, Conservation, Wildlife, Writing Topics, and Holiday Features, to plain old silly and humorous pieces now and then just for fun. And the list of my quote influencers is long, from Mark Twain and Benjamin Franklin to the Dalai Lama and Dr. Seuss. So, that is quite a range of accompanying quotes from which to be asked to pick out a few favorites.
How about this one perhaps, from “The Simpsons” TV show —
“A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man!” – Jebediah Springfield
Of course, despite the fine, emboldening quote, it turns out little Lisa Simpson, dutifully doing her due diligence researching more into the town hero’s background, later discovered that Jebediah Smith had previously been known as ‘Hans Sprungfeld’, a murderous pirate. The local town hero was, in fact, a fraud.
And that is always the risk in quickly grabbing any “quote to suit occasion” without researching if it is really true and factual, or not. Abraham Lincoln nailed it right on the head. Or did he really say that?!? Random quoting can be a tricky business if one is not careful.
Seriously though, ol’ Jebediah and Abraham Lincoln aside, there is no question about my most favorite quote, the guiding principle which governs and influences everything I do in my life and always has — “The Golden Rule”.
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
– Luke 6:31
Growing up, The Golden Rule was always prominently displayed on a kitchen plaque on the wall, placed right above the kitchen table where we could not help but see it. This verse was my Mother’s favorite Bible passage and she never wasted an opportunity to apply it in any situation. I grew up with it, and do my very best to live up to it every day.
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” — Short and simply stated, but it seems to encompass it all, doesn’t it?
In the same vein and going right along with The Golden Rule is another guiding quote and principle in my daily life and the way I go about things —
“This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your philosophy is simple Kindness.”
– Tenzin Gyatso, Dalai Lama XIV
Simple kindness and going about treating others as you would like to be treated yourself. They both tend to get a lot of lip service it seems, but the world would be a lot kinder and gentler place for us all if more folks put those few simple words into true practice, don’t you think?
So, those are the principal guiding quotes in my life, influencing my approach to writing, my Little Red Bear stories, how I conduct myself, my relationships with others and the world around me. Guiding everything I do in my life.
I invite you to visit with some of my writing friends to see the quotes which most influence their lives going into the new year —
A simple kind word or gesture costs nothing and yet has the power to possibly help turn someone’s challenging day or entire life around. Another of my Mother’s favorite sayings was —
“You Reap What You Sow”
I choose to sow Kindness. How about you?
Thank you for visiting today! I hope everything is going well for you and yours as we step further into the new year now.
Little Red Bear joins with me in sending along very best wishes for a safe, happy, and healthy year ahead!
“Lift up your hearts. Each new hour holds new chances for new beginnings.”
– Maya Angelou
This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to be able to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating.
If you enjoy your visits and time with us, I invite you toJoin our new Patron Communitytoday, because together we can do so much!
With the help of patrons, we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Senior Citizens, School Libraries and Classrooms, and to those who could otherwise not obtain a copy.
Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to continue this as a Non-Monetized site free of distracting advertisements, dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of Happiness, Inspiration, Kindness, Environmental Awareness, and Conservation with everyone.
“Here is the secret of happiness: Forget yourself and think of others.” – Paramananda
Thank You for visiting with us!
Please feel free to share with family and friends. Likes, Shares, & Comments are truly appreciated and help expand our reach and encouraGE new readers to visit!
James Milson - The Writing Pages 