KINDNESS

No Act of Kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted - Aesop

I was thinking today about how old-fashioned kindness seems these days. People are dashing around with their busy lives and often forget to look up, smile at others and above all just BE KIND!

So I googled KINDNESS and to my great joy, I came up with 22,300,000 hits!

Check out some of these wonderful links:

www.extremekindness.com (these guys are from Victoria)

www.actsofkindness.org

www.helpothers.org

www.care2.com

and if you haven't seen it - rent and watch the movie - PAY IT FORWARD!

Say Thank You!

As the long New Year's weekend approaches, this is the perfect time to get some Thank You cards, curl up on the couch or at your favourite desk and send little notes to friends and family who gave you a gift or touched your heart in some way over Christmas.

Nowadays, we think it's sufficient if we e-mail someone or give them a quick call to say thanks. But nothing beats opening our little used mailboxes and finding an envelope inside that does not contain a bill or junk mail. Believe it or not, some people, like Grandma Daisy or Nicole and Ed, do not even own a computer!

When writing, be specific about the gift you were given and how you will use it. If you went to a fabulous holiday party, write a thank you note telling the host what a marvelous time you had! If it was just seeing an old friend again - let them know how good it was to spend time with them.

- start 2007 with a spirit of gratitude!

My belly is sooooo full!

Goodies galore! We ate until we thought we might explode! Isn't that part of the fun of the season? We had two giant Christmas dinners - thanks, Sheri & Judy! But it was the cookies, chocolates, gingerbread people, toffee squares and toblerone that really did me in... Must eat fruit and veggies for the next month to cleanse my system from all the junk!

Santa gave me just what I wanted, too! The Extra Vegan Za cookbook - original recipes from Phoenix Organic Farm (right here in the greater Victoria area!)Filled with delicious vegan recipes that you would never guess were vegan. Because when I am not filling my face at Christmas, I am trying to follow the vegan path for health reasons (sugar is vegan, right?). The publishers of this amazing cookbook produce some fantastic eye-opening books. Check out www.newsociety.com.

Christmas is for giving!

I get butterflies in my stomach about Christmas - mostly because I love to give a gift!

I can't wait to see my friends and family & give them goodies and a big hug! It doesn't have to be anything huge - just something especially picked out and carefully wrapped for them!

"Give without remembering - take without forgetting!"

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas, everyone!

I had such an amazing experience this morning ! Our office put together 40 small care packages with granola bars, hot chocolate, socks, gloves and other goodies for the youth homeless shelter in Victoria. We delivered them at 6:00 am this morning along with fresh breakfast for everyone. The kids really appreciated it. There were far too many goodie bags so we walked up Fort Street and gave a goodie bag to the homeless we found sleeping in the doorways. I was absolutely astounded at how many people were on the streets on just one main street in this beautiful city of ours. Most were alone, curled up in dirty sleeping bags with their heads covered. I just left the goodie bag at their feet. A few of the mostly men, were in groups of two, keeping each other company I suppose. A few were awake and were surprised and very grateful when I wished them a Merry Christmas and handed them a package. As I walked away in the dark from one doorway, I could hear two men laughing and excitedly checking out the goodies in their bag - such a small gesture that meant so much to them. It's hard to believe that in a city like Victoria that also has such wealth, that there is this kind of poverty and hopelessness. I drove home in tears because I was deeply touched that these folks slept in the streets last night and will probably sleep there tonight - on Christmas Eve - while we laugh and drink hot chocolate and eat a large meal with our families INSIDE where its warm. At the same time, I had some warm fuzzies because I felt the true spirit of Christmas come over me and also realized.... I am truly blessed and grateful!

We are going to Campbell River today to see our family for the holidays. See you in a couple days... Happy Holidays

Excitement is contagious!

I went over to sunny Esquimalt on Tuesday and picked up my newly printed t-shirts with the Soul Comfort logo on the front. I love them! They are perfect and exactly what I wanted. Friends and family love them too and are snapping them. $25.00 each and 15% of the proceeds go to the BC Cancer Agency. Let me know if you want one - they are going fast. It comes in sky blue as well. Thanks to Cara - the graphic designer who helped my vision become a reality! Well, gotta go finish my Christmas shopping and wrapping...

Another of Life's Gifts

Grandma! What a treasure she is... So smart and so funny. She inspires our whole family with her love.

My Greatest Gift

My greatest gift is being the mother of these two. They make me laugh, they make me cry, they make me mad, they inspire me, they test my patience, they surprise me, they puzzle me, they challenge me, they teach me, they question me, they make me question myself, but most of all, they bring me JOY...