The Power of Positive Thoughts

I work in a profession that has me interact with clients throughout the year.  After many years and hundreds of clients there are a few that stand out and really have moved from client to trusted colleague and friend.

One such person is S.  It is hard to believe I have known her for 13 years at this point and have been able to hear the stories as her daughters have grown from toddlers into young women.  She is one of those people who is easy to work with and whose name you are always happy to see across the caller id on the phone.

Recently I heard from S that she is going through a challenging time, and I told her I would be thinking of her and sending good thoughts.  

This got me thinking about the fact that I so often say to friends and family when they are having a either a happy but nerve-wracking time or a difficult time that I will be sending them good thoughts.  I have found so often that positive thoughts can make a difference.  I remember in particular one personal experience when I was just out of college and headed to take a big licensing exam.  My sister put a post-it on my bedroom door late at night, and when I woke early to head to the testing center her good luck wishes were the first thing I saw.  They set me on a positive path for the day.

With that in mind I have purchased a few post-it pads and am going to leave some notes around for strangers to find.  They will say things such as.....be kind, smile at a stranger, think happy thoughts, etc.

I hope these kind thoughts impact the lives of the finders.....inspire them to pay kindness forward......and create a huge amount of good thoughts back to S.

Warm Apple Cider

One of my favorite drinks in the fall is warm apple cider.  I pour it in a mug, put it in the microwave, and within a minute there is such a sweet scent in my kitchen, and sipping the cider instead of tea or coffee is such a welcome seasonal change.

Last weekend I traveled to an orchard to pick a bag of fresh apples.  I have been snacking on them all week....whole, peeled and sliced or even sprinkled with cinnamon.....they have been yummy!  While at the orchard, I also picked up a fresh half gallon of cider.  Every morning since I have had a warm mug of it.

When I make a special drink the glass or mug I have adds to the experience for me.  So I have a couple new mugs.  I hope the finders use them for their own favorite drink.

Back to School

September is here yet again and the signs of a new school year are all around.  I have seen school bus stops with children waiting in communities that have school start before Labor Day.  For all those communities starting later this week after Labor Day, I feel certain there are anxious children and parents anticipating the first day and trying to get back into the swing of early to bed and early to rise.

 

The stores all seem to have one or two back to school aisles right now stocked with all the supplies a child (or adult who loves such things) might need and they are packed with shoppers.  There are some shopping for the very first day of kindergarten looking for crayons and pencil cases and those nervously anticipating middle school and hoping to have the appropriately cool accessories.

I have seen many streets around me packed with college students unloading their parent's minivans or small trailers.  Small refrigerators, bedding, basic kitchen supplies, etc. being carried by multiple floors.  The thrill of living on their own just hours away!

It is a funny thing about September that even for those who are simply have a regular month at work there is a slight sense of a new year beginning and a return to indoor eating, the end of long sunny weekends, and the return of full work weeks.

In thinking about this time of year I picked up some magnets that can be used to tack up a second grade spelling test or a message between college roommates that I hope some finders enjoy.

Notes Fate Meant For You

As I have mentioned in the past I am a believer in the joy of the handwritten note.  In this age of text and e-mail (and don't get me wrong as there is a place for both) there is something conveyed in a note you can hold in your hands and see the handwriting meant for you that sets the experience apart.

I was reminded of this fact twice this week alone.  Several weeks ago I had written a thank you to a friend who hosted a gathering.  In the note, in addition to thanking her for the event, I mentioned a  couple meaningful memories.  When she saw me this week she thanked me for the thank you and the sentiments expressed.  According to her, the entire day was happier from the moment she opened her mailbox.  She mentioned that although it was odd to thank someone for a thank you note it was like a little gift and it meant something to her.

A coworker for the past 12 years had her last day at work this week.  A favorite gift of mine for someone I have spent good times with is a clock with a note that repeatedly works the word "time" into the sentences.  I left her the note and the wrapped gift on her desk.  When she discovered it, she opened the envelope and after reading just one line she teared up and tucked it back into the envelope to be read later.  It was an emotion I just don't think would have been conveyed in an electronic format.

So, if my notes impacted those I know couldn't they also impact a stranger?  I think so!  So with pen and Sharpies in hand I have set out to do just that.  Maybe the first line will be "This is a random note of kindness that fate meant for you!"

Good Morning

There is a small town in New Hampshire that is my favorite place on earth.  Yes, that's right, my favorite place in the whole, wide world.  No matter where I go it is the one place I am always the happiest and most relaxed enjoying the simple pleasures in life.  It is the place I am home even though it is not where I reside.

One town over there is a country store on the main route that has the basics in food and beverages for sale along with crafts from local artists.  The best part of the store however is that there are a half dozen tables and they serve breakfast!  It is a place that I would imagine many drive by at 50 mph and don't necessarily take note of hidden gem outside their window.  

It seems to me that it is completely run by women with Kelly's name on the door, a woman short order cook on the grill and one waitress, Patty.

As soon as you walk in and seat yourself you are offered fresh coffee.  It is a welcome sight in the morning!  

   

Within minutes it is apparent that this is a local spot where people gather and catch up with friends to share the latest joys and sorrows.  There is table hopping and chatting from booth to booth.  Although I do not fit in quite so well as to be chatting with everyone, it is such a pleasant environment.  

From scrambled to sunny side up with bacon or sausage, or maybe an omelet with a a side of homefries and a grilled english muffin, all the food is delicious and tastes like you are sitting in your best friend's kitchen.

The icing on the cake to what makes it a great start to the day though is Patty the waitress.  There are so many people who work hard and really make a difference and deserve to be told how much the way they do their job matters and makes the days of others more enjoyable.  Patty is one of those people.  

I have looked up the address for the restaurant and have sent Patty a thank you for the important role she plays in her community.  

Is there anyone you see everyday that you should thank?

Sights to See

A few weeks ago I was standing at my usual morning bus stop awaiting the three full vehicles that undoubtedly pass me by before one I can finally squeeze into when I noticed a couple standing in the bus stop looking over the bus map and time schedule.  They were not the people I normally spot at the stop standing quietly while staring down the street hoping to see an approaching bus.  I decided to ask them if they were visiting, and to my surprise they were and had decided to take the public transit.

We had a lovely chat.  S&L were in from Tacoma, WA and headed to all the major cities in the northeast over two weeks.  They were headed to a particular guided tour, and I told them I would help them on their way as I would need to get off at the same stop they would.

Once we got off the bus I walked them to exactly where they needed to be and left them my e-mail address in case they needed any further help or advice while in town.  Later that afternoon I received an e-mail from them and a dinner invitation for the following night.

In anticipation of dinner I worked on a long list of things they might want to see while in town including prices, directions and insider tips.  We met up the following evening and talked about what they had done and my suggestions for how they might want to fill the following three days.  We had such an enjoyable evening, and I was thankful our paths had crossed briefly.

I have some to do list notepads as making the list of places to see for S&L reminded me of the lists many of us make every day.

The next time you see a stranger on the street looking at a map say hello and maybe ask if they need assistance.  You never know how it might turn out!  :)

Bicycle Clips

Several years ago I was sent some information in the mail by a friend and the paperclip holding the materials together was shaped like a waving hand.  It was a bright yellow hand with rounded little fingers and something about it has always made me smile.  

It sits in my dish of paperclips, and although all it does is get in the way and have other regular paperclips get tangled in it, I just cannot part with it because it makes me smile.

I found some bicycle shaped clips the other day and with summer now here I thought they would be great not just for holding paperwork together but also as a bookmark for a lazy beach day of reading!