Sharing Some Kindness

I believe in the power of kindness. I believe that even the smallest acts can work wonders. I believe that something as simple as letting a car merge during rush hour, or a held door, or even just a smile from a stranger can change the course of a day.

I try to live a kind life... Volunteering my special talents when I can, leaving the occasional "anonymous" goodie on a doorstep... But I feel like I should be taking a more active role, making a more conscious effort to spread some love.

Last week (as if the universe was listening), in addition to sharing all sorts of artsy fabulousness, Kim Klassen put out a kindness challenge on her inspiration staycation blog. Through her blog, I also discovered kindness girl Patience Salgado and all of her "guerrilla goodness"... So much kindness you just can't help but smile and cry happy tears at the sheer joy of it all. The best part? Being kind, purposefully kind, is really so simple. Anyone can do it!

That very same night, as dreams of a kindness-filled world swirled through my head, my dear friend Zoe called to ask if I'd like to come over for dinner the following evening. Like to? I'd love to!
"Hello, Kristin. This is the universe calling. Here is a guerrilla kindness opportunity to get you started."

Zoe is not only my friend, she is a very talented artist who is also my former creative business partner of seven years. (The picture at the top of this post was taken in front of one of many murals we painted together.) Like so many of us creative types, Zoe suffers from artistic self-doubt. That is where the guerrilla kindness comes in...

with a pocket full of encouragement, a bottle of wine, and a batch of freshly baked cookies, I headed off to dinner at Zoe's house. Over the course of the evening, when her back was turned, or when she wasn't looking, or when I excused myself to use the bathroom, I hid the inspirational notes from my pocket throughout her house.
Armed

This is a photo I took of Zoe (I added the text). As you can see, she is already very gutsy - she just needs a reminder now and then.
It was exhilarating! As Patience says, "There is no selfless good deed but it doesn't really matter, the world needs it all..." And sure, it wasn't exactly true guerrilla kindness (when she finds the notes, she'll know where they came from). But, whatever it was it felt good, and hopefully the little pieces of reassurance boost Zoe's confidence and help send her soaring toward her dreams.