The Spreading Power of Kindness
"Should we put the flowers on the park bench?" I ask my two daughters."No," says the older, "too much sun."
"How about over there?" The younger one points to a shady corner. The vase filled with purple and pink blooms is placed--just so. We snap a photo to record the location.
My phone pings. I have a text message from an unknown number. I open the message. A young girl smiles huge on my screen. In her hands are a vase of flowers we dropped off earlier. My phone pings again.
On the screen is a pic of a mom and daughter. And a text.
"My mom and I stumbled upon your beautiful Memorial to your mom and Grandma, Lois...My Mom started crying right after the photo. We are so close and today was made even more special. Will be sure to spread your kindness along!"
Spreading kindness.
This thought, this desire, this inherited lesson, is what prompted us - daughters and granddaughters - to leave random flowers in three different states as we remembered the second year passing into eternity of our mom and grandma, Lois Hankins. Anniversaries of such days can be difficult and we wanted to surround our memories with kindness and joy. And flowers.
Kindness is a character trait that is often overlooked. If given the choice, we would pick love or joy. Or courage. But kindness is a powerful word. I keep coming back to the thought that kindness can turn someone back to God.
Throughout the weekend, my phone pinged. I opened the screen to discover more smiling faces with hands holding flowers. And notes of thanks. Prayers of blessings. A note from a granddaughter on the way to take the flowers to her grandmother on the first Valentine's Day without the grandfather.
Notes that said: I needed this today! - a thought that worked both ways, because we discovered we needed it too.
To read more behind the story, please click on the Flower Power post from last year. That story, after I wrote it, prompted this idea of leaving flowers, because kindness can take what was meant for demolition and rewrite a destiny.
Enjoy our pics from the day. Of the smiling faces. And the flowers.
Throughout this month I have been writing about legacy stories. This is such a story. On what could be a difficult day, we chose to spread kindness, and in doing so, are living out the legacy our mom planted in our lives.
Today, when given the chance, I pray you do the same.
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