Small Kindnesses

Today this post is dedicated to the "Small Kindnesses" blogsplash created by Fiona Robyn to celebrate her new book of the same title. I am here to share a small kindness that has touched the lives of others. You can see all the other bloggers and their posts here. It's not too late to write your own. Use the hashtag #smallkindness to promote and it will show up in her blogsplash. 

The Great Kindness Challenge 

The Great Kindness Challenge (GKC) is actually a day created by Kids for Peace and dedicated to random acts of kindness. When I lived in San Diego I was a board member for this wonderful nonprofit that gave children the space to tap into their own innate ability to foster peace. GKC falls on the second Saturday in August annually and is open to anyone who wants to participate no matter where you live. 

The GKC gave my daughter and I along with our friends the opportunity to make random people feel happy. One of the things that we did was to cut out paper hearts and place them on the windshields of cars in our neighborhood. We also painted peace rocks and placed them in visible places throughout our town. Giving candy bars to our lifeguards was also a well received act of kindness. 

The day ended with a celebration at the beach where other Kids for Peace chapter members came together to share their acts of kindness. We lit candles in paper bags that were placed in the shape of a peace sign. Our kindness wishes were sent out into the universe so that others everywhere could receive our energy. 

Please visit the site and save some time in August or any day for that matter to participate in your own version of the Great Kindness Challenge. 

Drops

soft drops slide down branches 
leaves spread out like stars
sun peeks in
settles nicely on doorsteps 

Olivetti

Vintage Olivetti 
stairs into stacks of Jazz records
Its beauty lives on 
while words that embellished pages
Are now forever fleeting
Cat ponders over poppies
wondering if love will come again

Playoffs

Heart rhythm intensifies
Red all around 
KKKs keep feet retreating
Will there be another chance to dance in the yard?

Knit Sweaters

knit sweater in a box

colors woven in geometric patterns

patterns that move us

as chilly skies fill our days

Double Rainbow

Photo by Leah Dockstader

Double rainbow arcs over our city by the bay
Fire orange magnificence 
meets me face to face

Soulful ending to a day dipped in simplicity

Topped Off Pints

Topped Off Pints
By Julie Gengo

topped off pints
strange artifacts stick out of walls
man in the corner paints postcards
eyes glance and turn away

Jack Rabbit

Jack-rabbit terrier 
dashes past 
stars on shirts
sonic booms spur excitement 

Our Moment

Out Moment
By Julie Gengo

Our moment
Hopefulness overrides uncertainty
Good company
while you drink your simple beer?
Is it the only way you half look into my eyes?
I stay in wonder
and listen to stories
That I half want to hear
I take your company too
It's my way of feeling good 
about our moment

Savor Spring

Savor Spring
into her last breath


Bursting out of seams


Color bleeds beyond solstice


Decides to linger for a while


Now trickles
slowly


While we dance within its hinges

Drops of Breath

capturing drops of breath
inhaling deeply
waiting for one to pop
sweep me away
into your comfort and whimsy

My Most Beautiful Thing - A Celebration for Fiona Robyn

MY MOST BEAUTIFUL THING

The way her hair shuffles back and forth

The way she puckers her nose

The way she collects random objects and turns them into dreams

The way she opens up her big beautiful eyes and stairs into mine

The way she wraps her arms around me and squeezes too tight

The way she lets me hug her back when no one is looking

The way she sings to the world while water rinses her day

The way she stops the ball from moving in the wrong direction and then boots it past the center

The way she combines her clothes in eclectic patterns and enters the world with abandon

The way she loves

The way she sleeps                                                       

The way she is

is my most beautiful thing

Eleventh Inning Walkoff

energy reverberates 
through top tiers
happiness explodes

into seagulls dancing for dinner

January Fizzle

January flies by
stones have reached their destination
fizzle and pop 
new stones on the verge
waiting to meet you

Life Goes On

disappointment in her eyes
a failed effort
only to those 
who have a different view
life goes on 
into an open field

Sky Blue Pink

in between 
noise and 
tomorrow's dinner
moving past 
the girl with the curly hair
a slice of sky blue pink
fills the distance

Blue Walls

deep blue walls
rolls of goodness
happy faces
through pink glasses

Paul

sun shines through
fish bowl
fantail eloquence 
on an adventure

Stripes

stripes across eyes
glowing in the dark
a city dweller
looking for super

North Star

raven cloud approaches
radiant slice of moon
north star keeps watch
life is never as it seems

Tapas

Tapas over basil
warm room to fill the senses
we settle in 
to the unknown

Tarmac

The black tarmac
smooth as a seals back
moonlight embellished 
in water drops
we slide home 

Cat on Lap

cat on lap
melts into my being
a cushion for her 
furry body

Old School

lace stockings
hair askew
old school electronica on a rampage
cocktails keep us dancing

Splash

photo by Blu Gengo

Puddles create 
fantastic places 
for giggling children to splash
screams of joy infiltrate our lives

Morning Sky

pink clouds rest
over orange pantaloons
a morning sky
that thinks it's dusk

The Unexpected

The unexpected 
arrived right on time
closing eyes 
didn't stop feelings
from flowing

Pied Piper

Photo by Blu Gengo

Pied Piper on the wall
askance view through a Martini
blue eyes distract
a Parrish classic

Dust Bunnies

dust bunnies

run rampant 

under beds and tables

away from screaming

big machines

Pink Mist

pink mist floats
around Mount Tam
Sunday eases out
perfectly

Around the Table

friends gather
around the table
fire heating bodies
nearby
Pilsner sparks
conversation
music fills the background

She Follows Me Home

the drive seemed longer 
this night 
across the bridge
that connects two worlds
half dressed
her saucy eyes
followed me home
and hung out by the door 
until I was safely in

Towhee

Towhee
pops up upon the side mirror
warm brown body
sits comfortably
before the sun emerges 
for breakfast 

Morning Moon

morning moon

bright as sunshine

peeks into

bedroom windows

bypassing curtains

and other things that keep

children sleeping

Vines

vines cling to brick 

peeking over at men

in florescent yellow and orange

drilling holes in the ground

Anthony B

Photo By Blu Gengo

the great SF

opened up her big 

avant garde arms 

and welcomed

master food wanderer

into her ups and downs

Lazy Day

while joggers whiz round bay area trails

i softly slip back into slumber

Winter Calm

photo by Blu Gengo

sunshine settles nicely 

on the garden wall

cool wind moves

shadows through redwoods

winter calm motivates

sleepy bones

Dark Chocolate

crumpled dark chocolate

melts inside 2nd day coffee

inspired by moon rays

sliding through steam

A Break in Time

darkness pours 

over sealed windows

a break in time 

transports the weary

The Train Howls

The train howls

while cat paws

continue

to push gently 

on the sleeping child

Muffin

Within a week

She's half the size she was

It may be just days

Before the spot on the desk 

Is empty

Long Way Home

A Mercedes squashed at both ends

Dog runs frantically in between speeding cars

A brown belly hawk lies lifeless upside-down

Wings spread out in defeat

Falling

photo by Blu Gengo

like a splash of falling stars

time shifts 

in the blink of an eye

jubilant noise surrounds our being