Friday, December 27, 2013

Everybody's Got A Little Light Under The Sun

Plans are afoot here in the funky dandelion patch and not just here but also over at Obscura's blog AncientArmitage and we have a couple of co-conspirators, too. We've been talking for months about rebooting SpReAd The Love and it's time to let you all in on it.

You can find the background of STL by clicking the tab at the top of the page but we're switching it up a little bit. It's a year long campaign with the official kick-off on January 1 and this time it all counts, any act of kindness that you either do for someone else or that is done for you. Leave an anonymous comment on this post or at Obscura's and we'll track them because we have a co-conspirator who's offered to donate £1 for each kindness between now and the end of February to Armitage's JustGiving charities, up to £200. If you have difficulty commenting you can email me at funkybluedelphinium at gmail dot com with the subject KINDNESS and I'll list it for you and keep it between us.

So what counts? Like I said, any act of kindness. Donating blood, donating food, paying for the coffee of the person behind you in line, reading a book to a child or a senior citizen whose eyesight is failing, carrying your neighbor's groceries up four flights of stairs, letting a petty disagreement go. We also want to hear about things done for you because if it touches you it could inspire someone else.

To really kick things off here I'm posting the first three kindnesses. The first is our anonymous co-conspirator willing to make the donation to Armitage's charities. The second is an anonymous commentor on a piece I wrote a couple of weeks ago who's been encouraging and engaging and who I really hope sticks around. Last but definitely not least is Gisborne'sBoy who kindly made the graphic that you'll see over at Obscura's in exchange for undying gratitude and unbounded affection. Thanks, each of you. As for the rest of you, ready to SpReAd some love? Let's go.

24 comments:

  1. You know where my heart is. When I was "paid" to sing @ a funeral last week, I put the $$$ into our Nicaragua fund to give relief to those hungry babies when we return in March.

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    1. I do know. You're "golly what a woman" in more ways than one. :)

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  2. Here's to lots of love in 2014!

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  3. Hi Jazzy,
    Thanks so much for rebooting your "SpReAd the Love" campaign for the new year! This is such a lovely effort.

    Hmmm. I made holiday candies (almond bark covered nuts and peppermint candies) and I gave them to my eye doctor's office and to my pharmacy staffers who have been so kind and helpful to me this past year.

    Holiday Cheers! Grati ;->

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    1. That works for me! Thanks, also, for the reblog!

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  4. What a wonderful initiative! I'll do my best to SpReAd not only the Love but the Word too ;)
    I just made a donation to a local animal shelter. I can't adopt a pup but I hope it'll help pay the bills :)

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  5. A few to add:

    1. Judiang was gifted with a cab ride from her fellow passenger.

    2. A fire two days before New Years left a local family homeless. A neighbor took them in and others are providing them with clothing. I'm counting this as four and will keep you all updated.

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  6. Jan. 02, 2014--STL kindness this morning:

    Hi Jazzy,
    I work at a university and my colleagues are mostly in my building, but two individuals are in two other buildings each.

    We're all back to campus today. And I noticed that one of these fellows had a reimbursement check in his mail box that arrived today So I called him to tell him about it since it doesn't get over to our department to check his postal mail everyday. He has heart issues which affect his mobility--even though he is in the building next door. So when I spoke with him, I offered, and then took him his reimbursement check and his other mail this morning that he had piled up to save him the trip.
    Cheers! Grati ;->
    P.S. Since our secretary is still out today, I'm hoping one of the few fellows that is in will pick up the large and heavy twenty or so 2014 instruments catalogs that came in for everyone. Fingers crossed.

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  7. hi , I gave the big issue seller in town a 5pound and let him keep the paper .I have given a bag of clothes (too small now !) to the salvation army and I spent a few hours with my x mother inlaw and took biscuits and coffee .hope this counts !

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  8. ooppps did not mean to be anon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    1. Hi, janie, thanks so much! We'll take all three of those!

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  9. Invited a lonely elderly widow to join our family for Christmas Lunch.
    Does that count?
    I know someone who calls these kindnesses ARK - Act of Random Kindness and she tries to do something everyday.
    Quite a challenge.

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    1. That absolutely counts and thank you so much! After talking to Obscura this morning we're up to 68 acts of kindness, or nearly half our goal to max our donor. Every little bit helps!

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  10. Treated a friend to lunch on her birthday

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  11. while at work a customer came through the till next to me , the lady was sad and started a conversation with the cashier , who ,for what ever reason was disinterested.and offered no response ,...as it was quite I stepped in and started chatting to her .the cashier finished the sale transaction and as I had no customers I let her tell me her tale.her 42 son diagnosed with terminal skin ca......just a few weeks left. to live . ...I know from my own losses that the first time you tell a stranger this sort of news it makes it real its so very hard ...so I murmured comforting words and let her acknowledge to herself by telling me ...her son is dying .then ....looking at this poor women who has finally voiced what she had been denying..asked if shed like a cuddle....yes she said ....I still had no customers ...very quite... so I locked my till , came out from behind the serving desk and wrapped my arms around her ,silently saying a prayer for her to have strength in the coming days. seemed like minutes later she looked me in the eye and thanked me and I said along the lines of ..be strong ..you can do this..you can be there for your son ...then she left the store still sad but ready to dig deep and carry on. and yes the rest of the cashiers were all staring at me as if I was a nutter and I half expected to be told off for leaving my till ..but I don't care , that lady needed to talk and she needed a cuddle so I gave ...sorry this is so long winded ...i hope this counts.

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    1. That not only counts, that's the whole spirit of what Obscura and I hoped for when we talked about doing this. Thank you so much for sharing your heart with your customer and your kindness with us. :)

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    2. didn't mean to be anno ...as a footnote , I did get told not to get so involved with the customers ..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  12. When I was at my parents' house, I found my first alto recorder lying around, a good instrument for beginners. Since I've left the beginner level many years ago, I am using a better recorder now and gave the other one to my teacher, so that she can give it to some kid who just wants to try it out or whose parents can't afford one.

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  13. just donated to Richards charities in memory of guyltys dad .

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Thanks for commenting!