Friday's Favorite Quote...

Do your little bit of good where you are;
it's those little bits of good put together
that overwhelm the world.

                                                                - Archbishop Desmond Tutu

I have been smiling all day. Having the sun out seems
to change my attitude about everything. We have been in
the garden digging, raking and seeing our plantings poke
through in the most glorious way. Spring is so encouraging 
after such a long winter.

And then to top off all that joy, when I went to get my
espresso this morning before heading to my class, I made a
choice to pass on the joy and kindness that my heart had been marinating in. I was grateful for all of the kindness shown to me this week... so I wanted to pass on a little of it.

It was simple. It wasn't expensive. Suddenly I wondered if a simple gesture could help people have a great day. If it could put a smile on the faces of those who came along, surprised by a small gift.
Not a big deal. Not a life-changer. Just something to bring a bit of JOY their way.

I paid for the espresso for the person following me. That's all. They smiled and waved as I started to turn the corner. I smiled and waved back.

And then the most wonderous thing happened. When I stopped by later today at the espresso stand, just to see what the end result was, Shannon, the college student-barrista, could hardly contain her joy.

"Linda, she said with a huge grin, you won't believe it. There were 43 people who bought espressos for the next person. Can you believe it? 43...and everyone was smiling, and grinning. One older guy (and I hesitated to ask what she thought older was) started singing about the sun will come out tomorrow."

Must be us older folks, but I knew instantaneously that the song
was "Tomorrow", from the musical Annie. So I started to sing the song to Shannon as well. Perhaps you know it?

"The sun will come out tomorrow.
Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, they'll be sun.
Just thinkin' about tomorrow,
clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow,
till there's none."

I was belting the song out by this time, almost as if I was at a Broadway audition. :)

Bless Shannon's heart. She asked if everyone my age knew that song. She grinned when I said, "Probably, sweetie, people my age do know that song."

So, what's the life lesson on  this gorgeous sunny Friday after a great first week back with students?  What came to mind was one of my favorite quotations by one of my favorite people on the planet. Archbishop Desmond Tutu was right. Kindness has a snowball effect. 

When we do our little bit of good where we are, it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.

Well folks, we are smiling and overwhelmed with Joy here in Spokane, Washington.

May God bless your heart with smiles and JOY as well.
Love,
Linda