Love is Louder

 

I can't turn the news off. Even if my TV is off, my mind is still reeling. I've spent 3 days crying in sadness, grief, and fear. I do not know these children but I know their stories, and they seem all too close to home. "Loves to color", "Lights up the room", " Such a Joy". It sounds familiar because we've all uttered these words about our own babies.

 

Days before this tragedy I found my self to be a "YouTube Enthusiast". When my kids fell asleep I was entranced with some of these videos. I watched for about 3 hours. Soldiers surprising their loved ones, Families announcing they were expecting. I watched all to see one thing, over and over. Pure Human Emotions. Joy, Relief, Excitement.

 

Friday I spent the morning with my own family. We went to see Santa, the kids played at the Play Park, and we went to Lunch. During lunch I had taken the kids, who were getting cranky by this point, to the car to let Bill finish his meal in peace. I opened Facebook on my phone and began to Sob. This just didn't and still doesn't make sense to me.

After everyone had fallen asleep, I still couldn't put my mind to ease.

I repeated this to myself. "There is still Good in this world"

I opened Youtube and began to search. I watched probably 75 videos of "Acts of Kindness"

There is Still Good in this world

I need to forget what I saw on the News

There is Still Good in this World

....and over and over again.

 

2 months ago when I started writing, I had a post called Give without Sparing. I want to be a good influence for my children. I will breed Love and Tolerance. Have I lived my life like this since I've posted? Probably not.

I decided I will make a better effort.

 

Generally acts of kindness are done Anonymously. In my case I NEED to tell you what I've done, as an example so I not only affect them, but I start a fire in my community. I started at McDonald's.

I decided I would go just to pay for someones order. A construction truck pulled in behind me and i was disappointed. I was hoping for maybe a Mom or someone who looked like they could use it. And then I realized what I just thought. I was stereotyping my act of kindness. I paid for their meal. My mind was again, reeling. Maybe they just said Thanks and drove away. Maybe they paid for the person behind them. Kindness has no limits.

 

"There can still be good in this world"

 

Here is what I have planned/or have done so far

 

1. Donate Blood

2. Buy a strangers meal

3. Call someone who needs my call

4. Donate to the Salvation Army

5. I left Dollar Bills on the games at Walmart

6. Donate books to the Library

7. Donate a Pack of Diapers

8. Send Christmas cards to local workers

9. I donated a toy to Toys for Tots

10. I donated some canned foods

11. I brought carts in the parking lot inside the store.

 

...and I'm not done yet. I plan on doing 27 Intentional acts of Kindness and hopefully 100's after these.

 

I, 100%, no doubt about it, believe that I can make this world a better place. If not the world, than my Family, or the stranger who needed a free meal.

 

 

LOVE IS LOUDER