Let's Make Kindness An Epidemic!

One day, while visiting the library when my kids were still quite small, I came across the video “Pay It Forward.” Not knowing anything about it, I read the back cover. The actress Helen Hunt was in it, and it was a story about being kind to others ... it sounded good to me. I borrowed it, unaware that I was about to commit one of my biggest parenting fails!

Family movie night

That weekend, we made popcorn and gathered as a family to watch the movie. Unfortunately, I had not noticed the movie was rated PG-13, even though I was usually very careful. It began a little rocky, but I was so convinced that it contained a valuable life-lesson for my children, I thought it would be okay. Scenes of homelessness, drug addicts, and mature content were more than my little boy was ready for! He covered his face and said he was going upstairs. 

Of course, we immediately turned it off, and found something more age-appropriate to watch instead. I felt terrible for my lack of judgement!

My son had not blown out enough birthday candles to watch that movie yet!

I was reminded, however, of the good deeds featured in that movie recently, when Carol Cassara published her article Pay Kindness Forward. Deciding that the world needs more kindness, Carol has begun a "pay kindness forward initiative for bloggers." From all the people who commented on her article, she randomly chose five - each of whom will receive a surprise of some sort from her sometime during 2015! The only requirement: once chosen, the recipient must make the same offer on their blog, and share on social media.

One of Carol's winners was Rena, who writes the blog The Diary of an Alzheimer's Caregiver. (If she sounds familiar, it may be because she was featured in my Saturday Spotlight Series last Saturday.) 

To my surprise, I became one of Rena's randomly chosen five recipients. I'm thrilled that I now get to spread this ripple further! I'm a firm believer that kindness is contagious. Back in October I posted a video showing how kindness can be spread, just like a yawn. Let's make it an epidemic!

I will randomly select my five winners from all the people who leave a comment on this post anywhere I publish it (i.e. this blog, Google+, Twitter, Instagram or my Facebook account). I will write down the names of all the commenters on slips of paper, place them in a can, and have my son draw out five winners on January 23rd.

Enter to win a a surprise in the mail - and a chance to pay kindness forward!

To be eligible to win:

Leave a comment, and be sure I have your email address. I will need a way to contact you if you win!

• You can email me at susanf990(at)gmail(dot)com - or use the email form at the bottom of this blog.)

Please wait until Tuesday,Jan 27th, 2015 to announce on your own blog if you win. This will give me an opportunity to contact all the winners and be sure they all want to participate.

If you are a winner, and do not wish to participate, please let me know immediately! 

• REMEMBER: If you are chosen, the only catch is that you must make this same offer on your own blog, and share the post on social media.

Each winner will need to email me (privately) and supply their mailing address, so I can send them their gift.

Note: 

• Only participants with a mailing address in North America are eligible to win.(Sorry - postage is unfortunately too expensive to consider otherwise!) 

• Winners are not required to have a blog, but if not, they must have a Google+, Twitter or Facebook account. 

Winners will be announced here on January 27th. Then, sometime in 2015, they will be getting a surprise from me in the mail! (To see who won, just click the link in this paragraph or go to my post on 1-27-15)

I never tried to finish watching the movie “Pay It Forward .” I think I might this weekend though, and I'm even going to see if my son is interested in watching it with me. He's certainly old enough now!

                            

Did you know that there is actually an annual “Pay It Forward Day”, and the next one will be on Thursday, April 30th, 2015? Visit the website Pay It Forward Day for more information, inspiration and ways to become involved.

This movement, and the movie were both inspired by the concept introduced in the book “Pay It Forward ” by Catherine Ryan Hyde.

                           

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!

Note: In the spirit of full disclosure, this post contains affiliate links, for which I may receive compensation if any purchases are made. All opinions expressed, however, are entirely my own.