Sandy Hook – Page 2 – Tamara Letter

Random Act of Kindness #12 of #26acts

May 22, 2013 Tamara Letter

Where do I even begin?

I have tried to write this post several times over the past 72 hours to no avail. It seems with each RAK I complete, more madness, more sadness enters this world. I find it very difficult to share the simplest of blessings, overwhelmed by the grief of tragedy and loss. On Sunday, I completed RAK #12 of #26 acts. Nothing big, just a little show of kindness that blessed a stranger. On Monday I heard about the devastating tornado in Oklahoma that obliterated an entire town, including an elementary school. How could I possibly write about my RAK… something so basic, so “no big deal” in the face of such destruction and shock?

On Tuesday I received a post notification written by the husband of a sweet friend of mine, detailing the impending passing of his wife from this life to the next. Mel, just a few years older than me, was diagnosed with Stage 4 stomach cancer eight months ago, the same month I underwent testing for breast cancer. Today she passed away.

Why? How? Why? The questions circle in an everlasting turnabout, stuck in my mind. Why do bad things have to happen? How can anything I do possibly make a difference? Why would anyone want to take the time to read my little RAKs when there are so many other things to ponder in this world?

And yet RAKs do make a difference. And you do read my posts. Maybe because we know there is no answer to question number one.

It’s funny in a way how God speaks to me sometimes. Maybe you are not a believer in God, but I am. I hear his voice on my heart in the most unassuming situations. Right before learning about the tornados on Monday, I discovered this video on You Tube. (You can skip through the commercial in the beginning after a few seconds). I held it together until I realized it was all focused in a hospital and that’s where my dying friend was spending her final hours. When the words “Just signed DNR” appeared on the screen, I was done. I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. Then later that night, I heard about the tornado. More tears.

This morning, after reading about my friend’s passing, I saw this quote in my FB newsfeed:

I had to laugh. It is EXACTLY how I would expect Mel to respond had I made the statement to her. Kindness is ALWAYS a big deal!! No matter how small it may seem in your eyes, it’s a big deal to someone else. I like to think it’s a big deal to God, too. Aren’t we commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves?

So that realization is what has pulled me out of my blog post slump. Kindness matters.

Random Act of Kindness #12 is a simple act, completely random, and nothing more than being kind to a stranger. We were eating at a serve-yourself style pizza restaurant following my daughter’s dance recital. As I was making my salad, I noticed an eldery woman with beautiful white hair and cane pushing her tray near mine. She was moving slowly, carefully, but despite her best intentions, the tray wobbled and her empty water cup fell right into the heap of spaghetti sauce she had placed on her spaghetti. Without a moment’s hesitation, I reached over and grabbed the cup off her tray. “Let me clean this off for you!” I walked away towards the drink counter to grab some napkins when another simple thought spoke to my heart. “Fill her cup.” I returned to the lady with her now cleaned cup, but instead of placing it on her tray, I asked what kind of drink she wanted. “I will fill it for you!” She smiled and spoke gently, “Water, please.”

When I returned to her in the line, she was struggling to balance her cane and her tray while reaching across to maneuver a slice of pizza off the counter. Glancing down, I realized she never grabbed an empty plate! (The plate on her tray was completely filled with spaghetti and sauce.) Instinctively I ran to the end of the line, grabbed a plate and placed it right underneath the gooey pizza, mere moments before it slid off the unbalanced spatula. “Oh my! I didn’t even think about a plate!” she exclaimed as I breathed as sigh of relief. (THAT could have been a mess!)

I laughed a little, then grabbed her tray. “Do you want more pizza or are you ready to sit? I can carry your tray for you!” She was completely shocked, taking several seconds to process what I had just asked. “Are you sure you don’t mind? That’s very kind of you.” She pointed to the table where her family was sitting and I walked with her as she hobbled with her cane. “Thank you! Thank you so much! So sweet.” (Below is a photo I took of her at her table a little bit later.)

As I turned to make my way back to the salad bar (I had simply left my salad plate right there in the line, lol), I caught the eye of my daughter who had witnessed the entire event. In the brief moment of connection, her smile was simply an extension of my own, radiating the joy of simple kindness.

This RAK is dedicated to Madeleine Hsu, age 6, who like my daughter was “a shy little girl who always seemed to have a smile on her face.” My dear friend Mel had a smile that radiated, too. I hope Madeleine’s family can find comfort in knowing that even the smallest acts of kindness are being done in her memory.

Share the gift of love with others. Our time here is brief, dear friends, but we truly can make a difference.

#26acts

Random Act of Kindness #11 of #26acts – Happy Mother’s Day

May 12, 2013 Tamara Letter

Today I had the immeasurable joy of celebrating Mother’s Day by passing along a Random Act of Kindness given to me. If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know that I completed 40 random acts in celebration of my 40th birthday, then began a renewed purpose of blessing others in honor of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. My first act of kindness in this section was leaving smiley faced balloons in a local park, one of which was chosen by an autistic child and his dad. After visiting my blog and reading my story, the boy’s mom was so touched by this mission that she emailed me and donated a $25 gift card so I could in turn bless someone else.

Ironically, and unbeknownst to us at the time, her son and my son attend the same daycare center. Occasionally I pass her as we are picking up our boys and I am always greeted with a radiating smile. A few weeks ago I told her I was saving her gift card for a special day – Mother’s Day – and she told me that was one of her MOST favorite holidays of all. How perfect!

Today after visiting my own mother, I headed out to T.G.I.Friday’s. I wasn’t planning to stay and eat, I simply wanted to walk in and bless another mom.

The waitress was inquisitive, so I explained my purpose and asked if she knew of any patrons who might benefit from a free dinner in celebration of Mother’s Day. She pointed to a corner table to my right which included a mom and her young daughter, finishing their meal.

I walked to the table, introduced myself, and briefly explained my purpose as I slid the gift card across the table.

She seemed surprised, but very appreciative of the unexpected gift. What a joy it was to bless a complete stranger in such a huge way on Mother’s Day!

There was a moment, however, on my way back home where my joy turned a bit melancholy as I realized there are 26 moms out there whose hearts are breaking today, the first Mother’s Day without their treasured child. I simply cannot imagine the pain they are reliving today. This random act of kindness may not ease the ache in their souls, but it’s the least I can do to keep alive the memories of those lost.

Today’s random act of kindness is dedicated to Anne Marie Murphey, age 52. Anne Marie was a special education teacher at Sandy Hook and was found that fateful day with her body wrapped around her student, trying everything in her power to shield him from the inevitable. Friends and family described her as very motherly, always showing her students love and kindness. I can close my eyes and almost imagine her wrapping her arms around all the tiny children who made their way into heaven that morning.

Be blessed my friends. Take a moment to thank your mom. If you have children of your own, give them an extra squeeze tonight and cherish the small moments you share with them. We are not guaranteed a single day more here on this earth; treasure the time you have with those you love.

Happy Mother’s Day!

#26acts

Random Act of Kindness #10 of #26acts

May 11, 2013 Tamara Letter

My 10th Random Act of Kindness was 50% planned kindness, 50% divine intervention. I had planned a surprise lunch with two of my dear friends, Lisa and Nicole, but due to other obligations, our time together was quite limited. We drove around, searching for a restaurant, and finally settled on Applebee’s as the clock continued to count down our time.

Upon entering the restaurant, we realized the odds were against us for a quick meal. Several booths were full (it was the lunch hour, after all), and we could only see one waitress scampering around trying to meet all the needs. In fact, after we were seated, it took several minutes just to have someone tell us who our server would be.

The gal who approached our table was not the waitress, perhaps she was a manager, I’m not really quite sure. All I remember was her bright purple blouse and her smile. I explained (as courteously as I could) that we were on a tight schedule and needed a quick meal. “Would it be possible for us to order everything now, including dessert?” I didn’t want the special time I had with my friends to be overshadowed by the stress of time constraints and undelivered food.

The gal explained that she was not our waitress, but understanding our dilemma, she offered to take our order until our waitress could come to our table. Needless to say, we never saw our assigned waitress. Ever. The gal in the purple blouse returned with our drinks and our dessert (Backwards lunch! Fun!) and through the course of our meal she returned again and again to serve our food, refill our drinks, take additional orders, and simply check on us. She was friendly and kind and her joy was a perfect compliment to our meal.

As we finished our meal, the gal returned with three separate checks. Without hesitation, I grabbed the checks, preparing to treat my friends to lunch as my next RAK. As I sat there counting out the bills, I had an overwhelming urge to bless our server. She was not supposed to be our waitress; she merely seated us. It was her choice to stay as our surrogate waitress. Not only did she serve our meal, but she blessed us by listening to our needs and doing everything in her power to provide the quality time we needed.

And with that spirit, I reached into my birthday bag and counted out $10.

Yes, folks, I left our server a $10 tip. I shoved it in an extra bank envelope I had in my purse and wrote a note on the back, thanking her for her diligence and hard work. She returned to our table before I could finish the note (and take a picture), so I just handed her the bank envelope and simply said, “This is for you. Thank you so much for EVERYTHING!”

I have come to realize that time spent with friends is priceless. To have a stranger recognize the importance of that time only adds to the joy! To return the blessing in an unexpected tip was the least I could do.

This 10th RAK is dedicated to Victoria Soto, age 27, a first grade teacher who taught her students in Classroom 10. According to a parent whose student was in her class, Victoria “was a vibrant woman who loved the kids.” She was a hero in every sense of the word as she tried to protect her students, even standing between them and the gunman, allowing some children the opportunity to flee. With bright blue eyes and a sparkling smile, it is easy to see how her love for children would shine through.

I encourage you today with two challenges: Take the time to recognize kindness in an unexpected place. Then make a difference.

Be blessed, dear friends, and thanks for taking the time to read! I am blessed to have you as a follower!

#26acts

Random Act of Kindness #9 of #26acts

May 6, 2013 Tamara Letter

This afternoon as I was leaving work, I decided to stop in at McDonald’s to get a free McCafe (Thank you, McDonald’s for celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week with free drinks!) As I entered the restroom, I was shocked to see something on the floor. Someone had left their purse!

Oh my goodness! I looked around the restroom and, of course, I was alone. Without a moment’s hesitation, I grabbed the purse and walked towards the door, ready to take the purse to the manager of the restaurant. As I pushed open the door, I was met by a frantic woman who exclaimed, “Oh thank you! That’s my purse!” You could see the panic in her eyes which was immediately brightened by relief as I handed her the purse.

The entire event lasted less than two minutes. But, oh, how important those two minutes were!

It’s funny how some acts of kindness are truly random. I like to think of them as “perfectly timed randomness”. It never occured to me to do anything with the purse other than turn it in. However, had I not been in that McDonald’s, right in that moment, this lady may not have ever seen her purse again.

What treasures might she have lost? Thankfully we will never know because tonight she has her purse, safe and sound. Best of all, I have a happy heart because I did the right thing and I know it blessed someone else.

Tonight’s random act of kindness is dedicated to Mary Sherlach, age 56, who was the Sandy Hook school psychologist. As a veteran educator, one year away from retirement, I’m sure she had counseled many children under her charge to “do the right thing”. Maybe a small part of her can live on when others “do the right thing”, too.

Be blessed my friends and always keep your eyes open for opportunities to bless one another!

#26acts, Blessing Others

Random Act of Kindness #8 of #26acts

May 3, 2013 Tamara Letter

First, let me apologize for my delay in keeping up with my blog. This time of year is always crazy busy in my job and there are many days where I don’t know if I am coming or going! I am sure many of you can relate. Each time I do another random act of kindness, I want to shout it to the world and celebrate the joy!! But alas, the reality of working full-time, being a mom, and keeping up with a non-stop schedule prevents me from taking the time to elaborate on each and every RAK I complete.

But here I sit, looking through photos on my phone, carving out time to remember, reflect, and rejoice. Yes, rejoice! RAKs make me happy! How can I keep this all happiness to myself?!

So it’s with that spirit that I will be posting several RAKs in a row. I was tempted to just lump them all together in one blog post (after all, that would be MUCH easier and quicker, too!) but I was reminded yesterday that EACH random act of kindness I complete is special and deserving of its own page. A humbling reminder that quick and easy isn’t always best.

RAK #8 happened a few weeks ago, on a bright Sunday afternoon. I was changing purses (I love to carry cute little handbags when the weather gets warmer) and I discovered a gift card for Subway I had received as a birthday gift that had somehow gotten lost in the shuffle of other items in my purse. (In full disclosure, it was wedged at the bottom of my bag in between a sheet of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle stickers, a sticky, red Matchbox car, and a 20% off coupon for Kohl’s that had expired in November. Needless to say, I carry the same purse around all winter and it becomes a traveling toy box as well, lol.)

How exciting! And perfect timing, too, because I was STARVING and the kids were hungry, too. Perfect! I packed the kids in the car, drove to the nearest Subway, and delightfully placed my order. Normally I get something inexpensive like a 6 inch veggie sub, but today I decided to splurge and got a 6 inch chicken teriyaki, a drink, a bag of chips, the works! Oh, how fun to discover a forgotten gift card – it was almost like giving myself a RAK! Ha!

After paying for my meal and my children’s meals, there was still a little bit of money left on the gift card. I decided to bless someone else with the store credit. I wrote a quick note on a napkin and asked the cashier to give it to the person behind me in line.

It wasn’t a lot of money, only a few dollars, but I figured it could still be a blessing anyway. And, in a way, it was like sharing my birthday with someone else all over again! Fun!

As I was grabbing napkins for the kids and putting straws in plastic drink lids, a gentleman about my age approached me with a smile on his face. He pointed to his bag and said simply, “Thanks so much. That was very nice!” Even as I watched him walk out of the door, his smile still lit up the room.

Being kind doesn’t have to cost money and it isn’t always about 100% self-sacrifice. Sometimes I feel guilty when I do something for myself that I could have done for someone else instead. But this RAK reminded me that it’s OK to enjoy the generosity of others (my Subway birthday gift card) because sometimes there will be enough for two blessings instead of just one.

Random Act of Kindness #8 is dedicated to Dylan Hockley, age 6. According to Dylan’s family, “his beaming smile would light up any room and his laugh was the sweetest music.” Seeing the smile of my RAK recipient in Subway was almost like catching a glimpse of Dylan’s smile, too. It simply warmed your heart and made you happy. I hope Dylan’s family will know that his memory, and smile, will live on through the random acts of kindness shown to others.

Be blessed, dear friends, and share your joy! Check back soon because I have more RAKs to post! 🙂

#26acts, Blessing Others

Random Act of Kindness #7 of #26acts

April 18, 2013 Tamara Letter

Ever had a day where the weather was so beautiful, so perfect, you wanted to just freeze time forever? We’ve had several days like that around here recently. This past weekend I couldn’t wait to visit one of my favorite places, Maymont Park. Nothing relaxes me more than taking a stroll through that park. Hundreds of acres of rolling hills, farm animals, trails and more. They even have bears and a waterfall nestled on the grounds!

I decided to do another random act of kindness by gathering some activity books and pencils I had been saving from a Target clearance sale a few months ago. I thought again of those precious lives lost at Sandy Hook and one little face popped into my mind. Emilie. A sweet blond headed cherub who shared the same name as my sister, although spelled a different way. I remembered reading about her, how she loved anything to do with art, especially making handmade cards. That, of course, made me think of my own daughter who started her own card making business at the age of 13. Without a moment’s hesitation, I knew today’s RAK would be dedicated to Emilie.

We gathered our things to have a picnic at the park then headed towards Maymont. Traffic was light, the breeze was blowing… I could not have asked for a more beautiful day. Upon our arrival, we found a nice, shady spot to set up our picnic lunch, near the iron statues of children playing on a wooden log.

It was a busy day in the park with many families enjoying the gorgeous weather. As I made my way towards the statue, I knew it would be a perfect place to leave my bucket of activity books as children were always climbing and playing in that spot.

As I made my way back to our picnic, a woman called out to me from across the grass. “Are those books free? The ones you just left right there?” I was already grinning. “Yep! Help yourself! Enjoy!” Immediately two little children came running past me, activity books already in hand. “Look what I found! And it came with a sharpened pencil, too!” (See – those little details DO make a difference!)

All of a sudden it was if a magnet was placed on the side of that statue. Children, parents, even a few grandparents made their way to see what all the fuss was about. We simply sat on our blanket and watched with glee, imagining how Emilie would feel to know her RAK brought so much joy to others. I broke my trance for a moment and captured a photo of a dad flipping through one of the books with his son (see below). Simply precious!

Then, as our picnic was winding down with full bellies and happy hearts, I saw a family of three approaching our blanket. Lo and behold, it was my sister, Emily! I couldn’t believe it! I had no idea she would be at Maymont that day and she was just as surprised to see me. But I treasured the surprise (a.k.a. divine intervention and perfect timing) and spent the next few hours soaking up the rays of sisterhood as we walked the park together with our families.

(Our “babies” are 8 days apart in age. They were so sweet walking through Maymont hand in hand!)

With the acts of terror, violence, and despair we have experienced in only four days since our picnic (Boston marathon bombing, ricin laced letters to government officials, explosion at the Texas plant, even a scrawled hate message on a high school bathroom door in a neighboring school district), it makes me once again dig deeper to share peace and joy. I know my simple acts of kindness may not change the landscape of hatred that fights to cover our nation and our world, but I still believe with all my heart that even one random act of kindness can change a life forever. Who am I to decide which life is changed? I simply act on the whispers of my heart.

This act of kindness is dedicated to Emilie Parker, age 6. May her family find comfort in knowing her legacy lives on in others.

#26acts, Blessing Others

Random Act of Kindness #6 – Suspended Coffee (#26acts)

March 31, 2013 Tamara Letter

Twice this week I’ve had friends of my mine send me links or suggestions to find out more about “suspended coffees“, that it might be something I could do as part of my Random Acts of Kindness. The basic premise of “suspended coffee” is that while you are purchasing your own salted caramel machiatto (or whatever your favorite coffee drink might be), you also purchase another coffee to be “suspended” or waiting there, allowing the barista to choose a random stranger who appears to be in need of coffee without the burden of payment.

Today as I sat in church rejoicing over the news that Jesus is no longer suspended on the cross (He is Risen!), my thoughts focused on that one word: suspended. What’s the first thing that comes to your mind? Being an educator, I immediately think of being suspended from school (NOT from first hand experience, let me reassure you! Ha!) Being suspended from school is humiliating. Embarrassing. A punishment for not following the rules. Then I think of Jesus being suspended on the cross. Humiliated. Embarrassed. Punished.

All for me.

While suspended coffees and a suspended savior may not go hand-in-hand per se, they were connected in my head this morning. Jesus did not stay suspended. He was brought down from the cross, placed in a tomb, and rose 3 days later. He carried the weight of my sin hanging on that cross, but it was a weight he chose to bear. A suspended student also bears the weight of whatever action was committed, but does not stay suspended forever. He serves his time, then returns to begin again. Like these two examples, I know my suspended coffees will not remain in mid-air. Someone will enjoy a free coffee. Someone’s thirst will be quenched. Someone will be reminded that there are nice people in this world and that good things can, and do, happen to them.

It was with this spirit that I reached into my purse and felt the straight edges of my Happy Birthday bag. As many of you know, I celebrated my 40th birthday by completing 40 Random Acts of Kindness (if you want to start at the beginning and read what I did, click here.) One of my dearest friends, Lisa, blessed me with this birthday bag and filled it with one dollar bills. “For your project!” she proclaimed, being one of my biggest cheerleaders in life. I’ve been carrying around this bag for months, never knowing when the moment will touch my heart to bless someone else, but reassured that when the moment appears, I will have some money to make it happen. Today, I reached in and took out $10.

After church, I made my way downstairs to the new coffee shop that just opened in our church. All proceeds from the coffee sales will go to support mission trips; not only would I bless a few strangers with coffee, my money would continue to bless those that served others.

As I waited in line, my thoughts drifted again to Sandy Hook. Today is the first Easter celebration where 26 families have their precious loved ones living with Jesus instead of them. Just the thought brought such an array of mixed emotions, I could barely speak when it was my turn to order.

“And what can I get for you, Miss?” My tear-clouded vision cleared as I was brought back into the moment. “Well, this might sound a little odd, but I don’t want to buy any coffee for myself. Can I buy three suspended coffees instead?” I then explained the concept of suspended coffees and the purpose of my mission. The barista, a church member, was a little taken back by my request (I’m pretty sure she hasn’t heard the latest buzz about suspended coffees, lol), but she seemed quite happy to take the money and pass it along to someone who might need it more than me.

Suspended coffee. Something so simple, and yet a perfect RAK for Easter Sunday. I dedicate today’s RAK to Dawn Hochsprung, age 47, who as the principal of Sandy Hook Elementary knew the meaning of “suspended”. According to media reports, she was a hero in every sense of the word, not only leading her school with joy and enthusiasm, but “facing every problem head-on… even lunging at the shooter upon hearing the sounds of gunshots.” She sacrificed her life for her students; Jesus sacrificed his life for you and me. I know, without a doubt, neither life is suspended anymore.

Be blessed my dear friends this Resurrection Sunday and share a hug with those you love. Those RAKs are free, but worth the world. 🙂

#26acts

New Beginnings – Act 5

March 5, 2013 Tamara Letter

For the past few weeks, our three year old has been mesmerized by the Chuck E. Cheese commercials on TV, where “a kid can be a kid!” He gazes longingly at all the fun the children are having then turns to us and proclaims, “I want to be a kid, too!” Every time he says this, it makes us laugh. Of COURSE you want to be a kid! You are one!

We finally carved enough time in our busy schedule to make his wish come true, because every kid deserves to be a kid at least once, right? Little did we know at this time, but this would be a perfect opportunity to bless others (and be blessed ourselves!)

We decided to make it a dinner event, so upon entering Chuck E. Cheese, we ordered a large pizza for the kids and the salad buffet for ourselves. I didn’t have a coupon for the buffet (only for tokens), but the generous cashier said, “I’ll just give you the discount price anyway!” How sweet! It put a smile on my face to be on the receiving end of a RAK.

As I returned to the buffet for another amazing salad, a lady tapped me on the shoulder. “Would you like to have this? We are leaving and don’t have time to use it.” She handed me a coupon for 10 free tokens! Another random act of kindness received! Wow! Twice in one night! What a pleasant surprise!

It was then that I knew it was my turn to pass along the blessings to others. I put my salad on the table and joined the long cashier’s line to claim my free tokens. As I got closer to the front of the line, I noticed a boy wearing all red standing to the side, shifting from one foot to the other. It appeared that he was waiting for his turn to get tokens, too, as I saw him folding and unfolding a dollar bill while he waited. He never once tried to push his way in front of anyone, but he also didn’t join the back of the line and wait his turn. He simply stood there, in the front, moving from side to side, almost willing someone to have mercy on him and let him in.

That person was me. 🙂

“Why don’t you go next? You’ve been waiting quite a while!” His grin spoke volumes of appreciation. And sure enough, he was getting tokens. Four golden tokens in exchange for his crumpled dollar bill.

A few moments later, I was exiting the line, 10 tokens in hand, ready to pass along my blessings. Remembering the squeals of delight my children would share when they found an unexpected coin in an arcade, I decided to leave my tokens on popular games, right in plain sight, ready to be discovered by children young and old.

The best part of this random act of kindness was observing my tokens being discovered by children. As expected, there were smiles and squeals of delight! Mission accomplished! One girl, who used my token to play Skeeball, turned to her mom and dad and proudly said, “Look at all my tickets! And I got them all for free!”

I think my favorite moment of the night came when I saw a young girl gazing longingly at the Cinderella coach, complete with a pair of majestic horses ready to pull the princess anywhere her heart desired. The girl walked around the ride at least twice when I leaned down and asked, “Would you like to be a princess and ride on this?” Her eyes grew wide as I handed her my very last token. “Go ahead. It’s OK! Put the token in the slot and you can ride.” She put her Barney doll down long enough to use the token, then grabbed him again and settled down for the ride. Her smile was simply priceless!

As I stood there, watching all the children enjoy “just being a kid”, I felt the now familiar lump in my throat as my thoughts traveled yet again to those precious children from Sandy Hook Elementary. It made me want to hug my own children so tightly and never let go.

Tonight I dedicate this act of kindness to Charlotte Bacon, age 6, a “sweet, outgoing and full of energy” little girl with a head of beautiful red curls. I am sure she would have loved to share the joy of just being a kid with others.

Be blessed and remember… opportunities to bless others might just begin when you find yourself being blessed instead!

#26acts

New Beginnings – Act 2

January 12, 2013 Tamara Letter

Last night I decided to celebrate the life of James Mattioli, age 6. I discovered through the internet that he was actually 6 and 3/4 and was “quick to remind everyone” of his exact age. Like many boys his age, he was active. He loved playing outside. Riding his bike. Swimming. He enjoyed playing inside, too, especially on his iPad. I learned that he was born four weeks early and his family would joke it was because he was hungry. Apparently James loved to eat, too, lol.

As I was standing in line with my family at Stevie B’s, a local all-you-can-eat pizza buffet, I began to think of James and how much he would love this restaurant. Endless rows of pizza with combinations galore. You could even request your own pizza to be made just to your specifications. In the back of the restaurant was a small arcade/game room where children could use tokens like quarters and earn tickets from various games of skill and luck to be traded in for trinkets and prizes. Yes, it’s hard to think of any child that wouldn’t want to come here for dinner.

My thoughts were interrupted by the cashier’s friendly voice. “Would you like to buy some game tokens with your dinner?” We always get game tokens (although we try to teach our children the value of money by having them purchase their own tokens from time to time.) This evening, I bought three packs of tokens: one for my son, one for my daughter, and one for James.

As the cashier handed me my charge receipt to sign, I returned one container of tokens with my #26acts card and said, “Please hand this to the next person who comes in line to purchase tokens for their child. It’s a random act of kindness for James.” The cashier paused as she read my card, obviously surprised, and replied, “Yes… yes… wow, that is really sweet.” I made sure to put James’ EXACT age on the card, too. 🙂

RAK2-1

A little while later, as we were finishing our mealtime and about to head home, I walked back to the arcade/game room. It was a very small room, but alive with sparkling lights, bells and whistles, and happy smiles all around. The redemption counter was surrounded by children, all about the age of James, patiently waiting their turn to transfer tickets into prizes. I felt a lump in my throat as I thought of my own children who love coming here and playing the games. Ordinarily the bright lights and giddy chatter might give me a headache, but tonight it was pure bliss. Oh, to be a child again, without a care in the world. Such pure and innocent joy.

For the person who received my random act of kindness tonight, I hope your child spun the big wheel and landed on the jackpot, receiving 100 tickets with the cost of only one token. Please share your joy by paying it forward. For James, I hope your memory will live on in the smiles and laughter of others as they remember what it’s like to be a child.

Be blessed my friends and be inspired! 🙂

#26acts

New Beginnings: Act 1

January 6, 2013 Tamara Letter

Today I began my new set of adventures: honoring the 26 lives lost at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. Random Act of Kindness #1 was dedicated to Noah Pozner, age 6. I learned from the internet that Noah “had a huge heart and was so much fun, a little bit rambunctious, lots of spirit… he was really the light of the room” according to his Aunt in a CNN interview. I knew right away what I could do to remember this sweet soul, a son quite similar to my nine year old: balloons!

My first stop was the Dollar Tree where I purchased 6 of the brightest, happiest, smiley faced balloons I could find; one for each year of his short life. The sales associate, Dean, was extremely helpful, holding the balloons while I attached a new business card to each string, taping a quarter on the back to act as a weight (and an extra surprise!) He shared his pen so I could write a message on the back of each card as well. He asked me if this was something for my son (noticing the little boy’s name on the cards), and I was surprised to find myself getting a little choked up explaining the purpose of the balloons. “No, these are not for my son. I’m doing 26 acts of kindness to honor the lives of those from Sandy Hook Elementary School.” He nodded (as did the other sales associate in the next lane over), and in a solemn voice asked, “Is he one of them?” pointing to Noah’s name. “Yes. Yes he is. Today is Noah’s day. He’s my first random act of kindness. I’m taking these balloons to a nearby playground and leaving them for children to discover and enjoy.” Ringing up my purchases, Dean smiled and said, “That is really nice of you. Really nice.” I gathered my balloons, returned his smile and said, “I can’t wait to surprise the kids!”

Driving to the playground, my brain was swirling. I was really hoping the playground would be empty so it truly could be a “drop and run” kind of act. Turning into the gravel lot, my tires crunching loudly as I pulled into a parking place, I could see several families already enjoying the swings and slides. What would they think when their children saw what I brought? Would they allow them to come near? Would they caution them about speaking to a stranger? It wasn’t my intent to hand out balloons; I wanted to leave them on the fence and had created a sign to explain my purpose:

As I tied the sign to the fence and started to separate the balloons, I heard a little boy to my left ask his Grandma, “What are the balloons for?” As his Grandma replied, “I’m not sure”, I looked up and met the eyes of a boy who very well could have been Noah himself, only a few years older. I smiled and said, “Oh! The balloons are free! Would you like one?” He came near (under the watchful eye of his Grandma, mind you) then as I untangled the balloon strings, a little girl came forward (who I later discovered was his sister.)

“Here you go! Have fun!” Smiles all around. Mission accomplished! I started to untangle the rest of the balloon strings (it was a little bit windy) and saw the Grandma approaching me. She had read the card attached to the balloon and simply said, “Thank you. Thank you so much.” She engulfed me in a tight hug and it was in that moment that the impact of this purpose, these 26 acts, hit me full force. With tears streaming down my face, my voice cracked as I sobbed, “It’s the least I can do.” Our tears were shared as she repeated “Thank you. Thank you.”

As we finished our hug, we started laughing through our tears. Oh, how good it felt to laugh in the midst of such an emotional, heart-felt moment! I asked her permission to take a picture for this blog:

As she went away with her grandchildren, I finished my task of placing balloons on the fence. Two balloons taken, four remained. This is what it looked like when I was done:

This is the business card I attached to the bottom of each balloon string:

I hope the children who found the last four balloons (and quarters, too!) were as blessed as I was with the Random Act of Kindness. It was a much more emotional task than I ever imagined, but I am so glad I took the time out of my day to bring a smile of joy to someone else. For Noah, I hope your memory continues to be lifted as high as smiley faced balloons as others pay it forward.

Blessings to each and everyone one of you reading this blog. 🙂