Happy New Year
February 1, 2024
Better late than never as they say. While I was fighting off the latest of newly created viruses from Thanksgiving and into this new year, I was trying to decide on subject matter for my first post of 2024. While the options are as endless as my interests and creativity, it came to me like a punch in the face during a routine day of errands and shopping. Be Nice. That simple. Me. You. Everyone. When it occurred to me how prevalent general nastiness was at every level, every day and from so many different people I couldn’t help but wonder, ” To what purpose?” I guess it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that it might be a good time to rein it in. Easy as that, all of us. Even on the smallest level, imagine what a difference that could make in this chaotic world. Yesterday, as I stopped for a coffee in the middle of an unexpected snowstorm, the person ahead of me turned around and said ” I’d like to buy you that today”. I was speechless, grateful and it made my day. I decided right there that I was taking that cue with me into 2024. I hope you follow me. Happy New Year!

photo: gp
Feeling It
December 10, 2017
There’s still time to start feeling it…that holiday spirit. If you’re overwhelmed and you’d just like the holidays behind you, it might be time to adjust your thinking. Doing something nice for someone else everyday will have that smile you put on their face coming right back to ya…multiplied. The gesture needn’t be large. The greatest reward can come from something as simple as opening a door, paying for someone’s morning coffee, simply paying a compliment or offering a kind word. With only two weeks until Christmas, you might find the benefits reaped will have you wanting to continue this exercise right into the New Year. Start like I did, and pass out a pocketful of candy canes today.
photo: gp https://simplequietmodern.com/2013/12/10/candy-candy-canes/
Candy, Candy Canes…
December 10, 2013
candy corns…syrup*. Who knew that one of these…of Elf’s main food groups… could be so disarming? A pocketful of candy canes is just great to carry around, ready to hand out and diffuse some impending holiday meltdown. It could be the nasty person in line at Starbucks giving the barista a hard time or the weary sales clerk at any retail location, who just needs a smile and a break, that can benefit from this simple gesture. I started doing this years ago, begining my day armed and ready. And, I always returned home with an empty pocket, feeling good. Interesting how bringing a sweet unexpected smile to someone will always have one coming back to you.
* Elf



