26 Acts of Kindness - Day 2

Today's Random Act of Kindness was in honor of young Daniel Barden, who was just 7. Daniel's toothless smile beamed with joy - and that's just what he was to everyone who knew him. He liked to play foosball and soccer. He was intelligent, imaginative and musical. He is remembered as a kind young man with an "old soul." 

He seemed to be a true gentleman- polite, opening doors for people, always noticing the child without a friend and going to sit with that child. 

As I was telling my daughter about him, she said to me, "He must have had a lot of friends." Yes, I bet he did. 

He was said to have wanted to be a firefighter, just like several of his uncles. And he was honored with a Fireman's Funeral - scores of firefighters lined the streets, saluting him as he drove by. The photos from that funeral make my heart both ache and rejoice at the same time.

So today I decided to honor those who not only came out to honor Daniel, but were what Daniel wanted to be and who shared the same spirit of putting others before themselves. My daughter and I decided to make some mocha brownies and deliver them to our local fire department. As we were driving to the station I realized that perhaps I hadn't fully thought this through. Despite growing up in both the firehouse and the paramedics building of my home town (thanks to my uncle and my dad), I was kind of unsure as to how one even gets into a fire station. Is there a front door and a lobby? A doorbell? I had no idea. But, as luck would have it, we didn't have to worry. A car had pulled into the parking lot just before us and a gentleman got out. His coat read "Fire & Rescue." 

"Excuse me, sir!" I called out. "Are you a fireman?"

"Yes," he answered. 

"Then these are for you," I told him as I handed him the platter of brownies. He looked a bit shocked, but thanked me graciously.

My daughter told me after that, "Mommy, that was very nice of you." 

I told her that being nice to others will make them want to be nice to others, and it only grows from there. 

She told me, "Well, they are the nicest people of all. They SAVE people!" 

I laughed. Yes, yes, indeed they are. =)

"A spark of kindness creates a fire of love." - Author Unknown