Acts of Kindness

It's several days after the Sandy Hook Massacre, and people are responding to the violence by doing 20 (or 26 or 27 or 28) Acts of Kindness in honor of the victims.  The numbers vary; 20 kids were murdered, 26 people were murdered at the school, 27 people were murdered that day, and 28 people died as a result of this disaster.  The number doesn't matter; the sentiment does.

I've been reading what people are doing, and it varies from small things (holding open a door for someone) to extremely large things ($2000 worth of toys donated).  Some people are doing 20/26/27/28 things all at once while others are doing it over several days or weeks.  I've decided to do it over a year.  And I'm going to do more than 28.  I'm going to find one way to MINDFULLY serve someone each day.  It may be big, it may be small, it may be in between; but it will require thought.

These are my rules:

1. Service must be mindful...there must be thought before doing it (mindlessly holding open the door for someone doesn't count, but holding open the door for someone in order to make their day better does).
2. At least one act of service must happen each day.
3. Serving my immediate family can only be counted twice a week.
4. Once a month I will serve in a big way (money, time, etc).
5. I cannot consciously benefit from these acts of service other than by the joy I get from doing it and the peace it will bring into my life (If I purchase something to help underprivileged groups, then I must give the item to someone else, etc.)
6. I will document my acts of kindness on this blog in order to hold myself accountable for doing them.

These are my goals:

1. I will gain a love of service and a love of others.
2. I will have more joy and peace in my life as a result of serving.
3. I will improve/create relationships with my family, my neighbors, my ward, my coworkers, and strangers.
4. I will change for the better, and hopefully, I'll make a small difference in the world.

I invite you to take this journey with me.  Maybe not every day, maybe not every week, but I invite you to mindfully serve those around you, and when you do, let me know!