Kindness and a Birthday. Hey, Be Nice and Don’t Tell The Internet My Mom is 55.

If you’ve been reading here for any length of time, you might remember a few years ago, for my 34 birthday, we did 34 random acts of kindness.  It was awesome, it made me feel amazing.  I still tear up three years later when I watch the video that my sister put together or when I read all of the sweet RAOK all of you all did on my behalf.  I had lots and lots of help to get it all done from good friends like Stephanie, Danielle, Noelle, Kelly, and my sisters Lyndsey and Elise.  But mostly, it was my mom. 

A friend recently told me, “she is good people,” and she is.  She really, really is.

Now, most of you know and love my Janet stories because she is a lunatic.  Straight crazy and without a filter… you all wonder why I am the way I am?  You now have your answer. 

I have, over the years, shared with you the time that she met Snoop Dog and the recycling incident with “that guy” from Nine Inch Nails. 

I’ve told you her secrets like the time that she almost destroyed the living room with a 10 foot Christmas tree, the fact that she still legit writes paper checks at stores like an old lady, and that she buys karma points because she thinks that is an actual thing that the karma powers that be allow. 

You all have laughed, cheered, and adored her hilarious comments.  Even when she told the internet that her first kiss was Bill Voyles in kindergarten.

Ew.

{And Bill Voyles, if you are Googling yourself and find this, if you kissed my mother in kindergarten, you are now my nemesis!}

I have shared her with you.  And even though she doesn’t understand why the internet wants to read this particular brand of crazy, she likes you guys too. 

She decided that she wanted to do 55 acts of kindness for her birthday this year. 

Because she is old, she has been doing one thing each day leading up to her her birthday, rather than doing it all in one day.  That is almost two full months of consciously doing something kind each day.  {I’m having a tough time blogging something each day and we’re only on day 12!}  She started at the end of April on a business trip to NYC if that isn’t a tough place to do something nice for a stranger!  And now, we are a little over a week away.  I’m not going to tell you what lovely things she’s done, but I’ll tell you that they have been really touching.  And now, the favor that I’m going to ask… 

Will you please do something sweet and small this week on her behalf to end her 55 days of giving with a bang? 

I’m guessing, if she is right, that would buy you like a whole day of karma points.  I would love it if you came back and left a comment, even anonymously, about what you did and wished her a happy birthday.  But you don’t even have to do that, just put some kindness out there this week.

You don’t have any ideas? 

• Open a door. 
• Smile at someone and say hello. 
• Buy someone’s coffee.  Or lunch. 
• Pick up trash and throw it away. 
• Leave a dollar taped to the vending machine at work so someone can get a soda. 
• Give someone a hug.  
• Be courteous while driving.  
• Leave coupons tucked on the shelf for items at the grocery store.  
• Offer to take your grandparents to dinner. 
• Call your mother and tell her how amazing she is. 
• Write a letter to someone who has helped you in the past and thank them. 
• Make a donation to your favorite charity. 
• Give bottles of water to people working outside. 
• Offer to babysit for a friend. 
• Leave a note and a bottle of water for your mailman. 
• Take donuts to the firehouse or the police station. 
• Clean out your closet and donate the clothes you no longer need. 
• Help someone clean up their yard. 
• Visit a nursing home.
• Volunteer at a soup kitchen. 
• Donate to a school. 
• Take pet supplies to a rescue.
• Leave a huge tip for your waitress.
• Say THANK YOU. 
• Help someone.

Go on, do something kind.