BELIEVE HOPE DREAM - Do :: Go :: Make :: Eat :: Enjoy

Planting Kisses with Children

In the spirit of Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Peter H Reynold's charming book, Plant a Kiss,18 bloggers set out to "Plant a Kiss" in the world on April 29. We each did something we thought would spread a little extra joy, color, connection, poetry, or magic in the world. Then we watched to see what would happen! Today all of us are posting about that experience. Click here (http://www.simplycelebrate.net/plant-a-kiss-day-2013) where you can find links to all of the participating bloggers and hop around to see how each woman was uniquely inspired to celebrate Plant a Kiss Day.

Here is how we planted kisses: 

Perhaps the greatest gift we can give to the children entrusted to our care is to craft a world full of joy, goodness, imagination, and kindness. 

With an 8week old in tow this year, I felt that I may be taking on a bigger project than I could feasibly pursue, but our 9 and 10 year old reminded me that joy is created one small moment at a time.  They suggested that we buy a dozen roses, go to the library, and pass out the flowers.  On their own, they colored signs for the Day.  You would think it was Christmas Eve they were so excited for PAK day when they went to sleep. 

We ventured out in near 100 degree heat to plant some happiness seeds. 

The very first person the girls gave flowers to said - "Thank you so much, it's been quite a long time since anyone has given me roses." - which was a statement that made the entire venture full and complete. 

Surprisingly, one woman did refuse a rose.  I told the girls that it's an interesting choice when someone is willing to give of themselves and they are refused.  She probably could have used this act of kindness more than any other person we met that day. At the end of the day, we all felt sorry for this person to have missed an opportunity to feel a little happier. 

Without further todo, here is the delight we experienced on PAK 2013. 

Do you want to see last year's Plant a Kiss with my husband the magician?

Plant a Kiss! Up, Up, & Away from Tiffany Dyer Bird on Vimeo.

Click here to read about the full magic of the 2012 PAK day & watch the video (warning: may bring happy tears :) )

Did you plant any kisses? Will you? Oh please do.  The world could use some loving kindness. XO

Let's Create Some Happiness {Plant a Kiss Day 2013}

Can you believe it's been a year since last year's Plant a Kiss Day? Where does the time go? My friend Sherry of Simply Celebrate started PAK day last year in honor of the delightful book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Peter H Reynolds.  Have you read the book yet? It's a delightful tale about the unexpected ripples of a very kind, lovely deed.  Sherry likes to say that an extraordinary life is made of extraordinary moments (which is just so clever and so very true) and Plant a Kiss Day is meant to encourage you to get out into the world and consciously create moments - moments of joy, moments of magic, moments of connection and kindness, moments of mirth and whimsy.

Today, Sherry has gathered a lovely group of bloggers, photographers, artists, lamplighters, writers, healers and luminaries to Plant a Kiss in their own unique ways, then blog about it tomorrow.  It's a big wonderful Blog Party meant to inspire YOU to plant kisses in your own special way.  For more information, hop on over to Sherry's website where she will fill you in on all of the PAK details as well as a peak at the contributors (whoa! What an honor to be in the company of these women!)

Tomorrow I will share with you how we... my three wee ones and I planted a kiss.

With so much love!

to make a life

Photo by one of my all time favorite photographers Gunner Salvarsson

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

- (Winston Churchill) 

Sometimes, it helps put everything in perspective when you realize how much you have in comparison to so many in this world.  Do you have clothes to wear? Food to eat? A roof over your head? Clean water to drink and bathe in?  Give. 

connection + an open heart

While relaying a moment our 9 year old daughter had with another adult, she spoke of a young boy who stood in front of a supermarket selling candy bars for a dollar apiece, holding a handmade cardboard sign. He wore tattered clothes and shoes and appeared quite poor. When she asked the adult if she could have a dollar to give to the boy, she was told "no, because people lie" and it was most likely a scam. She told me that she wished she had a dollar of her own to give the boy because "even if he was lying, just because people might not 'deserve' our love, we should still give to them, and love them anyways".

Such Wise words. When we speak of Giving or Kindness or Love, what are we talking about, do you think? In my best estimation, I think we're talking about Connection.  At the opposite end of the spectrum, we can see Disconnection - Hoarding, Rudeness, and Hatred/Fear/Distrust.  Connect and Disconnect.  In a world populated by billions of people, surely, the name of the Game is Connection to open our hearts to ourselves and to others, to recognize others as fellow travelers. To connect.

Do you have 20 minutes? Brene Brown's TED talk about living with a whole-open hearted approach to connected living, how the development of empathy and giving enables joy and positive self image, (and likewise, the numbing of our emotions, to avoid pain, also numbs our happiness) is worth a watch, if you do. 

Perhaps we can strive to open our hearts in 2013.

 

 

Give

"We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children..."

When I look outside of my tiny corner within this world, I see so many opportunities for each of us to Give, to extend our hands and connect with one another, to give one another solid ground underneath our Hopes for a better way of life.  

Here are {10} foundations, charities, and ways to give that have caught my eye (some don't cost you a dime): 

1.Do you dream of volunteering your time to international charities as I do? I found a gateway that can help you to do so. International Volunteer HQ

2. Support Education, the fight to end poverty, and worldwide health CARE?

3. Inspire Leadership:  Binti Pamoja Center

(You can donate directly here.) 

4. Fight Malnutrition:  VitaminAngels.com

5. Give practical gifts to help lives (including solar power, braille books, an acre of rainforest, and bamboo bicycles!): GoodGifts.org

6. Feed Children a healthy breakfast before school, provide books, or shoes to walk to school: GoCampaign.org

7. Give the gift of pure water: LifeStraw

(*of course, this is a temporary solution ... for a more sustainable solution - Charity:Water)

8.  No one should ever go hungry. Ever. Help feed struggling families: FeedingAmerica.org

  

9. Give Peace. Medical, mental, & health care: IMCWorldwide.org

10. Are you crafty? Your knitting/crocheting can be made into an item to keep newborns alive in developing countries, and more! : WarmUpAmerica.org

I hope some of these ideas help to inspire you to give in 2013!