Day 16 - leave inspirational notes on the cars in the hospital parking garage: I went early for this one, both for safety reasons and having learned my lesson on the Read Someone Else's Child a Story day. This is the first time that I combined the professional with the personal, as we had a lot of leftover inspirational notes attached to candies from a Thrive ICT event. So, I asked Janet if she was okay with my project, and she said "yes." Next, I had to obtain permission from the hospital, which I thought would be a breeze as I went back to talk to my friendly volunteer who had approved me for the Free Hugs at St. Francis day. Imagine my surprise when I went up to the front desk and saw instead another volunteer giving a strict "no" to a hospital visitor. When I received the same response, I persisted in asking if we could check with the hospital house manager who had given me a green light before. Although she ultimately said "no," I think that both of our days were brightened by our interaction, and how could mine not be...her name was Joy. Lesson # 16: Sometimes a rejection is actually a blessing in disguise. Since I was not placing cards and candies on hundreds of cars in the parking lot, I invested more time in my workout at the gym instead! Day 17 - place inspirational notes in library books: I found this idea on the Random Acts of Kindness website, and I really loved it! Imagine opening up a library book and seeing a note that says, "You are kind," "You are respected," or "You are loved." I went to the hometown library where I had spent several days after school, reading and dreaming, while I waited for my mom to get off work at the nearby bank. I arrived around 4pm, and read the sign that said the library was open after a morning break from 3-8pm, right before I read the sign on their door that says, "We are closed, but we are still awesome." So, I pondered my options, and ended up in reverent silence at the church as I placed notes in the books along one pew next to psalms and/or bible verses with similar meanings. Lesson #17: Be open to anything, and you will find yourself exactly where you need to be. Day 18 - the scale is just a number project at the YMCA: I have always had a dream of placing a sign on top of each scale at the YMCA that says "the scale is just a number," because I can't possibly be there to tell every women who is weighing herself. However, I have overheard tragic conversations, where skinny girls who must be in their early twenties talk about how overweight they are, even sadder yet of friends deriding each other instead of building each other up, and of people of any and all body types looking at themselves with shame as I can only imagine what is going on inside their heads. So, I decided to ask if I could place two signs in honor of Random Acts of Kindness week and of my personal rejection therapy project. Lesson #16: Although the gate keeper (person at the front in charge of telling you "no") may think it is not possible, on several occasions I have had the person in the back say "yes," and this was one of those times!
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AuthorValerie Ellis, who is in alignment with the Black Lives Matter Movement and everyone whose life is impacted, now or before, by times of social injustice. Archives
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