Kindness Project--Prioritizing is Hard

Too often kindness is relegated to a random act performed only when we’re feeling good. But an even greater kindness (to ourselves and others) occurs when we reach out even when we aren't feeling entirely whole. It’s not easy, and no one is perfect. But we’ve decided it’s not impossible to brighten the world one smile, one kind word, one blog post at a time. To that end, a few of us writers have established The Kindness Project, starting with a series of inspirational posts. We post the second Wednesday of every month.



I wasn't sure I'd be able to write a Kindness Project post this month for two reasons. 1. My kids are on summer vacation, and with me 24/7. and 2. My book was recently released. A stellar combo for head explosion.

Time is short, my to-do list is long and prioritizing is hard.

Yesterday we met a good friend and her kids for a day at a water-park.  She invited me to meet her for coffee afterward, solo, so we could actually chat and catch up as water parks are not particularly conducive to such conversation. My first thought was: Oh, I can't! that's my only chance to write my kindness project post and I have yet to even think of an idea! I have no time for coffee. I must figure out something KIND to write about!

And then it dawned on me that meeting a close friend I rarely see for coffee is kind and even more it's important. Way more important than trying to brainstorm something kind and meaningful to write a blog-post about. It was one of those epiphanies that feels profound when it hits you but is painfully obvious in retrospect.

Just like the moment I realized I had to let my plans for blog-tours and press-releases (Ha! like I know the first thing.) slide, for now. My kids are home for one more month, and then kindergarten starts for my oldest and we'll be on a bullet-train toward graduation. I'll never get this summer back. He'll never get this summer back.

Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is to spend time with the people we love most and let them come first.

So that's what I'm focusing on this summer.

Fishing with my boys

How about you?


Be sure to check out the other July posts for The Kindness Project to be inspired.

The Kindness Project--One Phone Call

Too often kindness is relegated to a random act performed only when we’re feeling good.  But an even greater kindness (to ourselves and others) occurs when we reach out even when we aren't feeling entirely whole . It’s not easy, and no one is perfect. But we’ve decided it’s not impossible to brighten the world one smile, one kind word, one blog post at a time. To that end, a few of us writers have established The Kindness Project, starting with a series of inspirational posts.
 

This week I have my book on my brain. RAPE GIRL, was released this month (a bit earlier than expected!) and, as a result I've received several emails and interview requests to discuss it.  The main question I've seen, so far, has been some variation of "How much of this book is real?"

So I'd like to talk about one kernal of "real" for The Kindness Project because it was a moment of kindness that has stayed with me for almost 20 years.

Navigating life as a young rape survivor, who outed myself as such, was a bit like playing a game of CLUE. Someone handed everyone in my life a whole new set of personality cards and not a single person was at all the same as they had been the day before. It was disorienting and lonely and scary. Except in one particular case.
 

I got a phone call, a week or so after I was raped, from a girl I wasn't friends with and hardly knew. She said she was calling to make sure I was okay--that she believed me and thought that I was really tough for pressing charges  This girl was nowhere near a bleeding-heart and her out of the blue phone-call felt miraculous.
We didn't talk for long, and I don't remember ever speaking to her again. There was a trial, and the blur of the remainder of the school year, and then my family moved away and I never went back. But that call stuck with me, and formed  part of my backbone. I wanted to be her for other people.  Her validation meant so much to me.

That girl was the inspiration for a character in my book named Sandrina, and writing her was an amazing experience. It gave me the chance to explore the "what-ifs" that had been in the back of my mind for so many years.

One brief call of support made an impact that will last a lifetime.  Kindness is powerful stuff!

[I realize that I didn't take this as far as I should and described ways I have and would like to pay it forward. I started, but could not share the details I was planning to without worrying about betraying anyone's trust. I hope the sentiment comes through all the same.]

Also posting today for The Kindness Project:

Elizabeth Davis
Christa Desir
Sarah Fine
Elana Johnson
Liza Kane
Amie Kaufman
Sara Larson
Jessica Corra
Sara McClung
Gretchen McNeil
Tracey Neithercott
Lola Sharp
Michele Shaw
Meagan Spooner
Carolina Valdez Miller
Matthew MacNish

Be sure to check them out :D We post the second Wednesday of every month. Want to join us? Grab our button and spread a little kindness.