This isn’t strictly a home ed post, but with it it being national Random Acts of Kindness Day, I’m feeling nostalgic. And we did learn a lot from doing this.
So In July last year, I found myself two weeks away from turning 35 years old. It’s not a particularly significant age, but, for one reason or another, it broke my brain a bit. I was at least half way through my life (and that’s an optimistic estimate) and didn’t feel like I’d made any impact on the world. Ok, I’d had four kids, and children are the future, blah blah blah. But this was all about me and the self indulgent pity party I was throwing myself.
Some where in all this, I decided I would complete 35 kind things before my birthday. And I did. In two weeks. Believe me, it was easier said than done. The warm fuzzy feeling I was expecting to be awash with, only materialized occasionally. With the sheer number of things I had to do, I felt like I was giving a pound of flesh on some days, and just generally anxious the rest of the time. I’m so glad I did it though, and this is what I learnt about giving-
Pick one thing. You can’t save everything and everyone in the world. Pick the thing that resonates most with you and throw yourself into making it better. If everyone did that, nothing would need saving.
If you see someone trying, cheer them on. It made all the difference to me to have a lovely group of supporters, both in real life and online, to keep me motivated.
Thirty-five isn’t that old. Haha.
So here are the 35 Things…
Gave blood, it didn’t hurt and I got biscuits.
Made a bird feeder and hung it in the clough.Bought this book, all royalties from the sale of the book will be donated to non-profit organisations affiliated with the March.Picked up a bin bag full of litter from the clough.Collected my birthday doughnut and gave it to a homeless guy.
Fed a lonely looking pony. He tried to eat my fingers.
Subscribed to The Big House’s newsletter.Planted wildflower seeds in the clough.
Tipped my window cleaner (not my actual window cleaner in the photo).
Became a Dementia Friend.Signed the Puppy Pledge.Signed up to Goodgym. It’s where you run to to do jobs for people who need help, or get involved in community projects. If the Rochdale one takes off, I absolutely promise to do it! Pledged £1 per month to the Alzheimer’s society. It’s not a lot, but it was more than I was giving before.
Dropped some stuff off at this RSPCA charity shop. No, I don’t know who that bloke is. Maybe he’s the bouncer.
Donated a few items to the food bank, and although I’m sad that they have to exist, I was happy to see the box overflowing. Well done, Middleton Tesco.
Added some names to the Cancer Research memory tree.
Bought this from a charity shop.
Attended a talk on forgiveness, given by the mother of a victim of the ManchesterArena bombing.
Went vegan for a day. You can’t tell, but this coffee has coconut milk in it.Sponsored a friend on a charity walk.
A toothbrush needed replacing, so I bought some bamboo toothbrushes. They’re biodegradable and can go in your garden waste bin when you’re done with it.
Chatted with a stranger on the street for about half an hour. He said people call him Freddy Krueger (hence the picture)
Donated socks to the Booth Centre, who pass them on to homeless people.
Made an eco brick. If everyone was forced to make these, I guarantee there’d be no more plastic in shops. Because they’re a right fuck on.
Gave away some radishes.
Sweets for the bin men.
Sweets for the postman.
Paid for the next person’s coffee.
Donated my hair to The Little Princess Trust.
Released a book into the wild. Bookcrossing.com
Baked cakes to raise money for Macmillan cancer support. I sent the lads door to door on our road. They’re cuter than me, so got more sales lol!
Contributed to this exhibition marking 200 years since the Peterloo protests.
Yarn bombed a bus stop.
NUMBER 35!! The last one is to have brought all the kids along for the ride. They’ve watched, helped, suggested, and cheered me on. Hopefully teaching the next generation about making the world a kinder place.
Climbing Up Slides 