Pollyanna?

To say that I am too Pollyanna, as some have, is not only insulting, but also inaccurate. The heroine of Eleanor H. Porter's famous 1913 novel "Pollyanna," was indeed an optimist and probably a bit too much of one. I am optimistic, but also realistic. I believe in good but know that life is not always sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows.  

There is something else here though - usually we think of Pollyanna as someone who considers themselves better than others, and with me, that is certainly not the case.  I never seek fame or attention.  I don't try to set myself as an authority.  My suggestions here each day are just that and seldom (this being one of those rare occasions) do I even talk about myself here.  This is NOT about me.

This is about all of us though.  ALL of us.  This is about making a bright future.  This is about caring.  This is about change.  This is about love and respect.  This is about justice and equality.  This is about making a difference in our world.  We all have the power to do this and we can me reasonably optimistic that positive things are going to happen.  Optimism is not a bad thing.  Working for good - working for sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows, can never be a bad thing.

Perhaps we are all a bit Pollyanna, or want to be.  The important thing is to never give up and to always strive for the good that we deserve and that is certainly there, if we let it be.

Thursday acts of kindness

This morning I am thinking once again about the importance of being good neighbors. I was thinking especially about random acts of kindness. Feeding the hungry seems to be at the top of most lists, but there are so many ways to do this. So today I give you a list, in no particular order, of various random acts of kindness, many of which cost little or nothing and take very little time. Maybe some of these will give you ideas of your own!

Load extra money in vending machines to buy the next person's snacks when they come along. It will be a pleasant surprise for them! Leaving a few coins out at the laundromat does the same thing.

Sing an employee's praises to their manager or on a comment card — a little recognition goes a long way. Believe it or not, people complain more often than praise even though most workers deserve the praise more often than the complaint.

When paying for your breakfast in a restaurant, ask for the check of a random diner (especially someone who is elderly or who is dining alone) and pay it without their knowing.

Help a friend see today in a wondrous new light: present them with a kaleidoscope. They really aren't very expensive and are available in most toy stores.

Vulnerable people may be avoiding all public places and so some may need groceries or medical supplies. Volunteer to pick things up for them and assure them they don't need to make physical contact with you.

Practice physical distancing and wear a mask whenever you are in public.

Here's a simple one: call, text, or email some folk you know have little contact with others (which during this pandemic, is many of us).

My list could go on and on of course. Perhaps you would like to add your own suggestions in the comments section below.

Gazing or Doing

We can sit quietly, gazing up at the stars, or we can get involved and do something. WE can bring about change, but we have to want it.  This summer we have seen way too many examples of hate, and we have seen so many die. Is that the way it's supposed to be? Do we go through our life worrying about being shot or who we are going to shoot? (Take notice of how guns are involved in almost all of these horrible situations, and yet there are still those who say everyone has a right to own a gun - don't limit our freedom).

Racism is alive in the USA, but we have the power to end it. We can end the anti-gay hate too. In fact, we can see all hate done away with.

I've seen some wonderful signs of people working together in the past few days, but as the various killings fade from memory, I am afraid that we will see that working together, come to an end. Folks, this needs to be fixed now. Not one more life should be lost. Don't just trot out your concern when there is a terrible tragedy. Black lives matter.  Hate is a virus.  Racism is wrong.  Gay people deserve equal treatment.  Guns kill. These thing must be on our minds, and we must fix our brokenness. Again, we have the power. Every single one of us can make a difference.

Are you afraid? I can understand that. When you see people being shot, that can be a very scary thing. Watching and doing nothing, does not make a problem go away though. Reach outside your comfort zone and you'll discover superpowers that you never knew you had. Let's all stop gazing, and start doing!

Rest and relax

Trying to make a better world?  How about making a better you!  Self care is so important to our daily lives, but some of us are so busy trying to help others that we neglect ourselves.  Rest and relaxation is important.  

Resting is not a waste of time. It's an investment in well-being.  Seriously.  We can't always be on the go.  Relaxing isn't a sign of laziness either. It's a source of energy.  Rest is important even during your workday.  Breaks are not a distraction. They're a chance to refocus attention.

Games are good too.  Exercise in a great investment in our well-being.  Play is not a frivolous activity. It's a path to connection and creativity.

Did you get enough sleep last night?  Maybe you can get some today.  Don't neglect yourself!  How about a nice spring vacation!

Adding up the cash

Fundraising used to require collecting cash and adding it all up to take to the bank.  These days it can be much easier.  Most charitable events now have online fundraising pages.  I have used these myself for a number of events.  Social media allows for some fundraising too or at least helps to spread the message. Services like paypal make paying easier, even for folks that might not have a credit card.

Facebook began allowing fundraisers a while back.  There is no fee for charities using that platform.  There are also a number of other ways to raise money for charity, including Crowdrise, Kickstarter, and GoFundMe.  Tomorrow is a big day for fundraising, It's GivingTuesday and I urge you to give to whatever organization is special to you.  You can get some great ideas at https://www.givingtuesday.org/united-states/

If you want to raise money for a cause, the online method is certainly an easier way than holding bake sales and car washes, but note that if you promise perks to your donors, it is usually you and not the service collecting the money, that needs to come through with that.  Promising perks and than not fulfilling them will lose you credibility and will likely cause you a tarnished image.  Only promise what you can and will fulfill. 

 

Adding up the cash did indeed get easier, but before using any method for fundraising, whether you are giving or receiving, make sure you understand exactly what you are doing. 

No place for hate

There really should be no place for hate. Seriously. I prefer writing about positive things. How can we change the world? Let's do some random acts of kindness! Let's change for the better. That's what I like to write about. I really don't like saying that this is bad or that is bad, but yesterday I just had to speak out. It is so much more uplifting to say what is good and to talk about that. Love is good.

There really is a lot more to be said too, and I hope that some of you will add your own comments.  I really fail to understand why there is so much hate in the world and with it so much fighting and so much crime. How many people have been injured or even killed because of hate?  Does hate come about because we are all different from one another?  That would seem to be more of a reason to celebrate.  We should rejoice in those differences rather than fight over them

 

It seems to go through cycles.  Right now people are hating Asians in larger numbers.  Last year it seems to have been Blacks.  Neither one is new.  Oh and don't forget the hate of transgender people, Jews, Mexicans, the gay and lesbian community, and pretty much anyone who isn't just like the person doing the hating.  I don't get it.  I'm sure I never will.  It simply makes no sense at all.

 

As a youngster I remember when President Lyndon Johnson worked so hard on civil rights and I remember all of the racially negative things I heard.  It may seem hard to believe, but in some parts of this country, it's almost like we haven't changed at all since then.  I still hear people slinging pejorative terms at those who may be different from them.

 

There should be no place for hate in our society.  We shouldn't put up with it.  We have the power.  We can make it end.

Let it shine

Everywhere I look, there is something that makes me happy. Yes, even now.   What about you? Do you see happiness in the most simple things? I look out the window at the sunrise and think of Barry Manilow's uptempo pop song from back in the mid-70s. Before you know it, I'm singing.

I'm singin' to the world,
it's time we let the spirit come in
Let it come on in

Those peppy lyrics, which Manilow wrote with Adrienne Anderson, are enough to get you bouncing, even if there isn't a gorgeous sun rising on your horizon. Put them both together though and it will keep shining all day long! Why frown first thing in the morning anyway? Start the day happy and you can stay that way all day long!

Yes, and it's daybreak
If you want to believe, it can be daybreak
Ain't no time to grieve
Said it's daybreak, if you'll only believe
And let it shine, shine, shine
All around the world

Let's keep believing! Let's keep letting it shine!


words from Daybreak by Barry Manilow and Adrienne Anderson © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group