26 Acts of Kindness - Day 6

Today I'm breaking the rules. Not only did I skip ahead a few names (I have been doing them alphabetically), but today's Act of Kindness wasn't quite so random.

Today's Act of Kindess is in honor of Chase Kowalski, age 7. Chase was an athlete. He loved baseball, completed - and won - his first triathlon during the summer, and ran in many road races. He is described as a sweet, energetic boy. His photos mostly show a closed-lip smile... perhaps because he was missing his front teeth - which he wanted back for Christmas.

Understandably, Chase's mother said that the day he died was the worst day of her life. But she said that two days after was the best day of her life. As she said, 

“The best day of my life started on Sunday morning when my son came to me in a vision. He came to tell me to explain to my husband that the scope of this event was so large and that there were so many people around the country and the world we were touching. I felt that my son was here in this vision to tell me that the not-for-profit scholarship organization that we are starting in Chase’s honor will save lives, change building codes, demand gun and ammunition control, and that in Chase’s name I would like to bring God back to America. These are the first starting goals of the organization.”

She says she will keep Chase alive in her life through the Chase Kowalski Scholarship Fund.

My husband and I donated to Chase's fund when we heard about it a few weeks ago... but I knew that I wanted my Random Act for Chase to involve something both of us loved: Running.

My initial thought was to pay for a child's race entry fee, but then last night my mind was changed. Two of our kids' friends (also a brother and sister) came over to spend the night so their mom could have a night out with some of her friends. When she was dropping them off we got to talking about running - she said she wanted to start running. I told her she should come join me. She told me she didn't have any running shoes. I asked her what size her feet were - wouldn't you know it, they're the same size as mine. I told her I'd track down a pair of shoes (as I have about 8 pairs floating around my house) and send them home with her the next day.

Later that evening I got to thinking. Who says all acts of kindness need to be random? Sometimes knowing a person makes us aware of a need that we simply wouldn't see in a stranger. An act of kindness is an act of kindness. 

I know this person is a young single mom, who doesn't get a lot of help from her ex. She has her hands full, working a full-time job, keeping up with her three kids - who are all delightful. Whenever I go over to her house it's always immaculate, and she seems to be perpetually cheery and put together, despite the fact that I know things can't be easy for her. I don't know how she does it. 

But what I did know was that she shouldn't have to worry about not having the right kind of shoes or clothes in order to go out and do something good for herself. And besides, she could benefit from the countless (and painful) lessons I had learned over years of running. So I did track down a pair of shoes, and then I went to the store and picked up a whole outfit that is moisture-wicking and running-friendly. I gave her the bundle of running goodies this morning when she came to pick up her kids. She teared up, and told her young daughter that they would have to do something nice for someone else in return. =)

Kindness keeps moving forward, one step at a time. I hope Chase is watching as another person discovers the exhilaration of motion.

"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love." -Lao Tzu

[FYI - Contributions to the fund set up in his honor can be sent to the Chase Kowalski Scholarship Fund c/o People’s Bank, 470 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe, CT 06468.]