And the countdown continues!
Christmas is getting closer and in the midst of all of the pomp and glitter and sparkly eyed kiddies, I saw something really nice a couple of days ago. A random act of kindness. A pay-it-forward type thing. Here it is:
I followed it back to a Facebook page called Paying It Forward ~ One Day at A Time. I really like that page. (I’ve put a link to it in the credits, below. I don’t know the page admins and I’ve not been paid to say nice things about it, I just thought I’d share 
) There’s something really simple and beautiful about giving just for the sake of giving. I’m planning on acting on that small yet powerful concept a lot more consciously moving forward through this holiday season, and into 2013. And getting my kids in on the action too. I hope it’ll be something we can share and enjoy as they get older and the things we bond over “change”. Dropping random kindness bombs here and there. A good thing.
Have you ever experienced a random act of kindness? Or paid it forward in a unique way? I’d love to hear about it in the comments
Have a very, merry week!
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PICS OF THE WEEK
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WINTER WONDERLAND IN A CHINESE GARDEN
‘Nuff said.
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A MOST UNUSUAL LUNCHBREAK
Actor, Kenny Baker (who stands 3 feet 8 inches tall) had a colourful career as a member of a “theatrical troupe of dwarves and midgets” [1], a circus performer, an ice show skater, and then as part of a successful comedic group, “The Minitones”. His life of relative obscurity took a fortuitous turn when George Lucas hired him in 1977. From that moment on, Baker became the man inside one of the most infamous droids in the galaxy, R2-D2. (He also played Paploo, an Ewok in “Return of the Jedi”, but that is a different post altogether 
) In this first unusual shot, Baker enjoys a a quick lunch break between takes on the very first Star Wars set. The second shot? It was just too darn charming not to add in.
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CATCH THE WAVE
Somewhere, underwater in Mexico, a scuba diver thought it’d be a great idea to get a very special shot…
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MAGIC DOOR #11
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RELEASE
Go back through the archives of Zen and Genki and you’ll find a whole lot of book lovin’. Books are magic and have the power to create worlds – and no image captures that profound moment better than this one by Khamal25.
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OUTSIDE THE TOUCH OF TIME
“To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other’s hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time.”
~Clara Ortega
Happy siblings in the Himalayas
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CREDITS
Paying it Forward ~ One Day at a Time
Winter Wonderland in a Chinese Garden image courtesy of Beautiful Chinese Gardens
Lunch Break (R2D2) images courtesy of Knowledge Is Power and Kenny Baker, [1] from Wikipedia
Catch the Wave (Fish) image courtesy of National Geographic via Reddit
Magic Door #11 image courtesy of Estela Canaveira via Newer III Color Photo of the Day
Release image courtesy of the artist, Khamal25
Outside The Touch of Time (Brother and Sister) image courtesy of Andrew Castellano
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I love the magic door. That’s the kind of image that makes stories.
Exactly my sentiments when I first laid eyes on it
Are they tuna? What an amazing spectacle. Love natural beauty.
I’m not sure, Cass – the last few pics I’ve seen of tuna have been enormous fish, but I imagine tuna come in many shapes and sizes….if I find out, I’ll post here as a follow up
Love random acts of kindness . . . and paying it forward.
Me too…it’s so nice that it’s a phenomenon that seems to really be catching on
The fish shot is incredible! And I love the Clara Otega quote – so true.
Agree on both counts! Nice to “see” you, bluebee!
I love the whole Pay it Forward movement. My dear generous husband involved me in a pay-it-forward years ago when a friend of his was stuggling. Bob was a divorced dad of a precious 7 year old girl and he wanted to take her on a trip to disneyland. He was working nights and weekends and trying so hard to save the money but things kept happening to sabotage the trip. Glen asked me if I would agree to give him the money he needed. I agreed and wrote him a nice big cheque and told Bob that he was to take it and enjoy a trip with his daughter and not ever even think about paying us back. It was a gift and it felt so great to give it. The gift was how it grew our own hearts. Years later we were raising 2 kids and paying a mortgage and struggling a little and a card came in the mail with the money coming back to us unexpectedly when we really needed it.
You and your family are pay-it-forward models to the rest of us, Shells, I have seen and heard it, first hand. You inspire me, always, my friend
xoxo
I love all these images. They each get my vote!
Thanks – they were easy to choose for me for this post
I’m such a fan of pay it forward. Great choices again this week!
Thanks, Cee (love the new cut, btw!)
Love the winter chinese wonderland,magic colors and the fantastic shot of catch the wave……beautiful ! Xoxo
Thanks, Shiro!
It was a tough choice this week! Great photos!
The brother & sister photo touched my heart.
Love the “pay it forward” idea….a wonderful concept to spread some love to our self-centered society.
Have a terrific weekend!
The brother and sister touched me too- so much joy in one another’s company!
In the past we have had people pay for our Tim Horton’s drive-thru order. We arrive at the window and the cashier tells us that the person ahead of us paid for us. So, we paid for the people behind us. It’s just coffee and donuts but the awe that you feel to know someone did that is heartening. Just throwing some change in the homeless man’s cup while I’m walking to and from work downtown, looking them in the eye and saying hello is something I’ve done whenever I could as well.
Lovely gestures, both, Tam
I saw a piece on CP24 about the Tim Horton’s pay-it-forward (or backward, I guess in a drive through!) craze this past winter. Good ol’ Timmies brings out the best in folks, I think 
Wow! Magic door and winter wonderland are my favorites!
I loved Magic Door too…so enchanting!
Love it!!!!
So glad you did!
I have always loved the concept of paying it forward, even before it became a catch phrase. I’m a bit of a scrooge about Xmas, anything that involves a mandatory “exchange” of gifts or favors. I much prefer spontaneous giving, whether it be actual gifts or just a helping hand – with nothing asked in return, but hoping that the person on the receiving end will one day give a service or gift or even just a smile to someone else. This is the way giving is meant to be.
Could not agree with you more, Judee!
Wonderful picture of the Chinese garden, Anne, feels really cosy
I remembered this story when I read yours. A therapist of mine gave me a long time ago a very big Rosequarts of his own, because I had to learn to open my heart to let love in. After a few years I gave the Rosequarts forward to a friend of mine, who had the same problem as I had and he was astonished, just like me when it was given to me. A few years later I saw the friend again, and he told me that he gave the Rosequarts also to somebody who needed it. When I saw my therapist after a long time again, I told him what I did with the Rosekwarts and he was smiling at me and said ‘that was the intention’.
What an absolutely lovely story! Kindness in the very truest sense…stories like that remind me that there really is a whole lot of good left in the world
Thank you!
I love the idea of random aid… and I love the idea of letting it catch on… we for the last few years have reduced our Christmas shopping to one present each for a male and female, top value R50… and then we make a donation to a source that feeds the destitute… so much better than all the inter change of presents you don’t really want… the kids still get their one each per family unit and the adults are dealt out by the kids so they get one each… I always hope to get my own back as it is always chocolate…
I agree, bulldog, random aid is so special. Good luck on your future chocolate karma ;P