November 2019 Enjoy — Acts Of Kindness
Editor’s Note…
It’s the season of gratitude, where we gather our loved ones near, hit the “pause” button on our hectic lives and reflect on what truly makes our lives worthwhile.
Acts of kindness aren’t always grand gestures or huge sacrifices. Toss a pebble into a pond and you’ll see that the impact extends much further than the tiny splash – that’s exactly how kind deeds work, and we’ve got some ideas for tossing your own pebble into the pond of humanity to make our world a little brighter.
Some opt to pour kindness into the world through their art. Creative force Colleen Barry has done exactly that through her public pieces, and you’ll be touched by the story of her most recent creation – the 14,500-pound EarthStone, which reflects love of a person, community, nature and art.
Investing in youth is the ultimate act of kindness, and Catalyst Mentoring is all in. The nonprofit recruits and trains mentors, then places them in schools to serve as models for respect and support for at-risk children. They’ve trained some 350 mentors, and their influence ripples through the community. “Anyone who has the desire and an hour a week can become a mentor,” one organizer says. “That’s all it takes. It will change someone’s life. It’ll change your life, as well.”
Kindness reminds us of our place in this world, and we have the power to shift the trajectory of someone’s day. Reach out to a lonely friend. Invite an elderly neighbor to your holiday gathering. Extend an encouraging word to a frazzled mom in the grocery store. Together, we make our world more beautiful, one pebble at a time.
Celebrate kindness, and watch how the joy you put into the world comes back to you tenfold. Happy Thanksgiving, and enjoy!
The Enjoy Team
On the Cover:
Jenae Matney
Photo by Kara Stewart
karastewartphotography.com
