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Hope

One of the best phrases I’ve learned from hanging out with kindergarteners is “Oh well, maybe next time.”  Recently parents were invited to join students for the first hour of their school day. As I said Good Morning to one little boy sitting alone, he replied “My Mom has to work today — oh well, maybe next time.”

Those words give us hope for tomorrow.  Doesn’t matter if it’s about losing a sporting event, finding your favorite restaurant closed, or what happens to us nearly every day.

The definition of hope is “A desire for a certain thing to happen.”  Whatever you face today, choose hope for tomorrow.


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One Kind Word

Just one kind word can turn a difficult day into one to remember.  Bonus benefit is you know you scattered some kindness.

Can’t think of a word?  Here are a few possibilities:

You are appreciated.

     You are amazing.

     You are wise.

     You are talented.

       You are kind.


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Playing Pickleball

If you look around for examples of kindness, you will find them almost everywhere – even on a pickleball court.   My husband and I now begin most mornings playing pickleball.  We were fortunate to find nearby courts and a couple of folks willing to show us the basics.  After that, we became hooked on this popular sport.

While playing doubles with people we had never met, I’ve observed the great number of positive comments, even when a ball goes far from where it was intended. And when winning a challenging volley, the accolades make you feel like you won a million dollars.

It’s about people sharing a kind word to opponents.  That’s what makes the game fun, and the world just a little bit better place to be.


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Who Needs A Pencil?

Imagine walking into a kindergarten classroom on the first day of school and noticing a child with paper but no pencil.  It’s possible his family couldn’t afford to buy everything on the school supply list.  Likely his teacher will quickly provide all the tools needed to learn from her own stash of supplies purchased for that very reason.

Because teachers are grooming the future of our world, we need to support their efforts.  Classrooms everywhere can use more little things like pencils and crayons.  You don’t have to be asked to go school supply shopping.  Pick up a pack of pencils next time you’re out and drop them off at a local school on the first day of classes.  And don’t forget to smile at all the scared kids while you’re there!


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The Gifts of Summer

All around us are the gifts of summer.  Look up to see a magnificent blue sky.  Ask a kid what they see in the clouds. Those fortunate enough to live in a place where there is just the right amount of sunshine and rain are truly blessed.

A daily dose of sun and a sprinkling of water can turn tiny flower pots into amazing portraits.  Add to that a cup of kindness, and you have the perfect summer.

 


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Poorest of the Poor

The country now ranked as the poorest in the world for 2023 is South Sudan where people live in desperate poverty and where a poorly educated workforce limits their capacity.

Addressing this tremendous need is the Padoc Area Scholars Society.  College education is amazingly inexpensive in South Sudan compared to any other country in the world. Scholarships are provided based on need and merit to students pursuing four-year university degrees and three-year technical college degrees. Scholarships cover tuition, books and transportation costs.  Donors can choose from several levels of sponsorship starting at $36 per month.

Students Awaiting Scholarships

Many students would love to pursue a college education, but need our support to make that happen. You can see photos and descriptions of those waiting here. Sponsors have the opportunity/option to correspond with the sponsored student via email to learn about their life journey and experience the satisfaction of truly …
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Tomorrow

Posting challenges on Prose, a website for readers and writers, provides insights on a variety of topics.  A recent posting asked “If there were no limits on your time and money, what would you do tomorrow?”

Some said they would:

“Fly first class to Cancun”
“Go to my favorite restaurant and get an entire order of chicken wings”
“Catch a thousand butterflies and hold them in clear jars”
“Get the dental surgery I can’t afford”

 

Others seemed to have a theme of kindness in what they would do:

“Set up a trust aimed at feeding the children of the world and providing medical care. The trust would be managed by a multi-cultural counsel of Grandmas”

“Buy 10,000 acres of land and give it back to the people”

“Build a sanctuary for single Mothers”

“Give my friend a moment away from caring for her Mom, a refugee from Ukraine …
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6 Years in Kindergarten

Spending a couple days each week as a volunteer in Kindergarten is a wonderful way to absorb the important things in life.  This week, I saw a very tearful little girl who was missing her Dad. It took about 30 seconds for another student to offer her teddy bear, which she said was given to her when she was a baby.  Amazing how the tears stopped, and I saw a perfect picture of kindness.

For six years, I’ve had the privilege of watching five-year-old kids learn how to read, write, and most important, to be there for a friend in need. Each year, it’s bittersweet to see them all “graduate.”

Already I’m looking forward to the fall and meeting a new group of friends who will experience the wonders of what you can learn in Kindergarten.

 …
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Thanks!

To the person who smiled at my mother when I wasn’t around

To janitors

To the child sharing the favorite part of his lunch with a shy girl

To neighbors who pick up trash in the road

To puppies waiting at the door for you to come home

To people who anonymously scatter kindness wherever they go

To the millions of folks who may never have been thanked

                                           Thank You!
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