I really enjoy all the cheesy, loving, romantic, sweet feelings and the fun decorations that come with holidays, Valentine’s Day in particular. Thanksgiving and Christmastime are great because most people get in the spirit and almost everywhere you go there are pretty lights and decorations. St. Patrick’s Day is fun because you dress up in green to avoid being pinched (I actually get annoyed when people pinch me, so stay away!) I know that people get so upset about stores setting up for holidays too far in advance. “Christmas in July, Valentine’s Day in December, St. Patrick’s Day in January. Too much Too Soon!” Well, to all of you Scrooges out there: live and let live. You do holidays your way and let others do holidays their way. If you don’t like seeing Christmas in July at Target then don’t go down the seasonal aisle. It’s actually pretty simple. You don’t have to get irritated with marketing, especially since it’s been happening for years now and it isn’t going to stop any time soon. Put that irritable energy into something useful. If you need to be mad with marketers then be mad at the ones that inappropriately target children. Leave Christmas and Valentine’s Day alone!
Wow, okay Daisy, take a breath. This post started off in the wrong direction. I was all ready to talk about loving feelings and do gooders. Now, where was I? Oh yes, loving feelings. I have been feeling very loved and supported by a few people recently, and I have also been feeling very loving towards people. The time between Thanksgiving and the end of January is always a difficult time for me. I have to balance those grief feelings with the feelings of love and life that come out when I’m celebrating with friends and family. It isn’t easy, but it is necessary. I am beyond blessed to have a strong support system of people who love me and carry me. This year, right now, for some reason, I have felt happier and more loving towards others than I have for the past few years. I know it is thanks, in part, to the people who constantly surround me with love.
I jokingly posted that someone should send me a new hand mixer since I had been using my broken one for a year, and the next thing I know, my mom has a brand new beautiful red mixer for me! She even took a photo with her iPhone and posted it to my Facebook on a Friday to coincide with iPhonetography Friday. That was just so sweet. Then one day I received a little comfort care package from an unexpected person. It was a reusable tote bag filled with tea, honey, socks, candles and scented lotion all to make me cozy and feel good. I was completely blown away by this sweet gift. It made me feel so loved. Receiving unexpected gifts was so cool. It inspired me to send unexpected gifts to others. First, I put together some small packages for my best girl friends. I love the cozy socks that came with my gift so I went out and found some to give to my friends. I included some tea and a little homemade edible gift for each of them. Then I went out a put together packages to give to two of my brothers and their girlfriends this Sunday at family dinner. I had so much fun putting these together that I wanted to do more. So I did.
There are many homeless people in my neighborhood. In a three block radius there are 5 or 6 churches that do “soup kitchen” days every week. The homeless in my community are well taken care of, but I wanted to do something, too. I have gotten to know a few homeless people because when I walk my neighbor’s dog I become the most popular person around! Errol, the dog, is so handsome and friendly that everyone wants to meet and pet him, and he soaks up all the attention. I put together ten bags of food, water and socks to go hand out in my neighborhood. My mom and step-dad keep lunch bags full of food and water to hand out as they’re driving around. It was my step-dad’s idea, and when my mom told me about it months ago I was inspired, but I didn’t do anything with that inspiration. I am now. And you should, too!
Whether its caring for the hungry in your community, or dropping off a surprise package to a friend, or even someone you don’t know very well, let’s make this Valentine’s Day the most loving we’ve ever known. Will you join me? Let’s take care of each other this year. For more inspiration, check out this amazing family and what they’ve done.
I’d love to get more ideas and inspiration! What will your loving act be?
A Recipe for Comfort from Gracie
Ingredients
Directions
This is so sweet and caring. I really like the lunch bags filled with food and water idea, too. It is fun to be on the receiving end of thoughtful gifts (I am enjoying my cozy socks right now!) and you’ve inspired me this morning to give some of my own!
You should do it! I liked the lunch bags idea, too. They filled them with two days worth of food and water and kept them in their cars so any time they saw someone holding a sign asking for money or whatever they’d give them a lunch bag!
This is so you. I know it may have sounded…I don’t know, silly, or over the top…to call you “The Amazing Sarah” but I knew it was right.
And on a personal note, thanks for coming and lifting me out of that awful spot I was in the other day. I couldn’t imagine how I’d get home, when they changed the plan and sent me off. But they pulled back curtain number 1 and there was the Amazing Sarah. I feel your love and I see you pouring love through you into others, And there’s nothing more amazing than that.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for the kind words, Scott!