The Yellow Umbrella Project
I love this concept. Here You Go, a Pittsburgh-based community project, hands out free yellow umbrellas to people caught in the rain. In exchange, the recipients are simply asked to pass along an act of kindness.
With the umbrella, they are given a pre-addressed, postage-paid, waterproof postcard on which to write what they did for someone and to drop it in the mail to Here You Go, who then posts them on their website.
What a lovely reminder and inspiration to do random kind things for others. Do you ever check out The Happiness Project? One thing Gretchen notes, in her findings on happiness, is the maxim, “Do good, feel good.” It really is true. My mom told me recently that she paid for the groceries for the man behind her at the store, and in addition to making that guy’s day, she felt simply buoyant all day and was inspired to keep up the random acts (not that she’s not already the kindest person ever).
I’ve read a few times that even if your motivation for doing something nice for someone else is selfish– to get the warm fuzzy feeling– it still does make you feel good, and it of course still brightens that person’s day as well– it’s a win-win. So why not!
