Random Acts of Kindness

The other morning, I walked into the yoga studio and the first thing I noticed was the big, beautiful sunflower in the picture. After class as I was walking out, I asked Laurie, the owner, “Would you mind if I took a picture of your sunflower?” “Of course”, she said, “do you know where it came from?” I asked her what she meant. She told me that it mysteriously appeared on the counter and she hasn’t been able to find out who put it there. I wasn’t surprised that it showed up, simply because Laurie and her partner Richard always make the effort to add personal touches and beautifying accents to the studio, such as fresh flowers and candles in the dressing rooms, beautiful photos on the walls, and inspiring quotes throughout the studio. Maybe the flower was someone’s way of saying thank you to them for caring about their customers. Or maybe it was put there “just because” the person knew that everyone who walked in would have the opportunity to enjoy it.

What would the world look like if everyone regularly performed random acts of kindness–expecting nothing in return? There are some people that do, probably because they get that the act itself is the gift back. As the Buddhist saying goes, “If you light a lamp for somebody else, it will also brighten your own path.” Freely and willingly giving to others opens our hearts, which in turn, lets more love in. This is just an example of the point I was trying to make in my blog about loving others as we learn to love ourselves. I believe these two forms of love grow simultaneously, and random acts of kindness are just one way to make this happen.

Trees of Life

Over the last several weeks, I’ve been driving by a Pinchot Sycamore tree that is evidently the largest tree in Connecticut and the largest of its species in New England. It’s certainly no California Redwood but there is no denying that it is massive. Its main limbs stretch out and up beginning near the base resulting in an expansive reach that is wider than it is high. In 1998, it was measured to have a circumference of 26 feet, a height of 95 feet, and a canopy of 140 feet. In fact, standing on the side of the road, it was difficult to get a picture of the entire tree and looking at the pictures I did take of it, they don’t do it justice.

You may be thinking, why are you so interested in this tree? It’s not so much this tree as it is trees in general. This time of the year, the trees are budding. Many of them simply bud their leaves, but there are several varieties such as dogwoods that produce brilliant flowers that are only around for a short time. Between the daffodils and tulips and the flowering trees, it’s a very colorful time of the year around here and one where I’m guessing many people take the time to actually admire the trees. After a short time, though, the flowers drop and the leaves emerge and then the trees are simply filled with green (or red) and they mostly go unnoticed. We don’t realize, though, how valuable these trees are to us all. In fact, when I thought of all the things that trees “do”, I began to appreciate them even more:

1. They produce oxygen – essential for life as we all know;

2. They consume carbon dioxide – critical for the atmosphere and interestingly I read that because of the rise in CO₂, plants are actually growing faster. A benefit for them perhaps;

3. They remove toxins from the ground and air;

4. They provide food to all organisms – some produce fruit, some nuts, some seeds, some sweetener, and even the Moringa tree provides a valuable, nutrient-dense leaf that is being used to save lives in India and Africa;

5. They produce shade and have a cooling effect. How wonderful is it to sit under a tree on a hot summer day to rest or read a book?

6. They are home and protection to a vast number of species that include primates, birds, reptiles, bugs, mosses, fungi, and bacteria;

7. They are a source of play – tree houses, tree swings, and hammocks (mostly) would not be without the tree;

8. They stabilize the ground and nourish it.

I’m sure there are things missing from this list. The bottom line for me is that I’m convinced that without trees, we would not exist. In fact, I understand and have a great appreciation for so-called “tree huggers”- those people who are so passionate about trees that they will make a very strong statement by camping out in a tree for sometimes years at a time. So after the flowers fall and the leaves fill in the spaces, I will continue to be grateful for trees – we all should be…

The Joy Blooms

Monday night, I went to listen to The Joy Blooms at The Space in Hamden, CT. It was my first time at The Space, a venue whose mission is “to build a safe and positive community for people of all ages through music and the arts.” They house an eclectic décor and even have a vintage boutique upstairs where you can find everything from old LPs, clothing and jewelry.

The Joy Blooms are a local band started by Adam Christoferson, a young and talented poet, songwriter and performer who gets his inspiration from within and who shares his joy and happiness through his songs. He also works with children in a psychiatric hospital and teaches them to use music as a form of self- expression. You can see and hear some of the band’s music and meet Adam and Brendan Page, who plays the mandolin in the band, in the video below. You’ll also learn about the origin of the band’s name. Adam’s Dad Paul, who is a Vietnam Veteran, began making colorful flowers from pinecones and calls them Joy Blooms because of the joy they bring to others and to himself as an artist. You can find him at the band’s performances selling his flowers.

It’s always a breath of fresh air to meet people who want to spread light and happiness throughout our World today and The Joy Blooms are doing just that. You can learn more about Adam and The Joy Blooms at his website.