daffodils

Instead of giving in to the grumpy, down in the dumps feelings this week, I
decided to make my own happiness. Mr. Right is gone on business and it makes me
feel out of sorts.

So I came up with a plan. I would make cute tags and choose different ribbons to go with big, luscious bouquets of happy daffodils for people in my life that not necessarily would expect me to. Let me describe a couple...

My gorgeous, sassy, sweet, riot of red curls, favorite librarian was easy peasy to give a fat bouquet of daffodils to. Made me happy. Made her happy. See, easy peasy and as a bonus I got to take a trip to the library. I used a blow your skirt up yellow and green plaid wide ribbon. It felt loud and jaunty, smart and sassy, that piece of ribbon reminded me of her spirit.

Today is the kind lady who does my dog's pedicure, read that as she clips Sweet Liberty's nails. She doesn't make Libby get up on the table. She just comes down to her level, whispers sweet nothings into her ears and tells her she is so beautiful. (yes, I have purchased clippers, yes, I have tried the dremel, yes, I have cried and drew blood and cried and twisted and Libby has cried......so, to support the local economy, make me happy, make Libby happy and make our favorite dog groomer in all the land happy....) I took a big bouquet of sunshine tied with a sassy yellow ribbon covered with white polka dots. Polka dots are just another word for happiness! She just loved them. Actually, she thanked Liberty and she hugged Liberty. Well now, that is why we go to her. She loves dogs.

Okay, onto bouquet number three. I bet you think I will weave another sappy, honey dripping sweet story to make you feel good. It did not really go that way. I decided that another person on my list would be a lady in our neighborhood. She is a widow. She is quiet. She is either shy or grumpy all the time. She is neat and tidy and is a no frills gal. English is her second language. Yes, we shovel her walk in the snow. Yes, we upright her garbage cans when they blow down, heck Mr. Right and son number one pushed her and her car out of being stuck in the snow. Oh sure we wave and say hello. No response. Maybe she is just one of those people who value their privacy. She just doesn't give you a warm fuzzy feeling. So I bundled up three bunches of yellow happiness. I chose a solid conservative, smart green ribbon. Not too long, no frills, attached a plain and simple yellow tag. Happy Spring! I walked over, actually I sort of had a lump in my throat. Sort of like when you were little and other kids would say "don't go to her house for Halloween, she is spooky". I rang the door bell. She promptly came to the door. I smiled and talked too fast and explained way too much. I offered her the bouquet. She did not smile. She did not thank me. She just nodded. I felt nervous and waved and said goodbye. Not really the response I was looking or hoping for. I thought I was going to say it was lovely and the bouquet broke the ice after 11 years of living in the neighborhood. Nope. As I walked towards our home, the lump in my throat went away. I felt good. Really good. She is one tough nut. I just know it was the right thing to do. Having good manners, a kind and gracious spirit really lift you up and help you do things that make you feel slightly uncomfortable.

It is super, duper easy to give flowers and ribbons and tags full of kind words to kind, sweet and warm people. It is a tough trick to offer up a simple act of kindness to some who have built a wall of safety around them.

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common ones, and make them great.