Once upon a time…
a daughter wandered aisle after store aisle searching for a gift. Candles, shave kits, cologne...sigh. What to get a father who doesn’t need or want for much?
The Inspiration Fairy lit upon her shoulder and whispered in her ear.
“What about a gift of a gift? You can give Dad envelopes filled with currencies that he can leave for servers who spark a connection in him--waitstaff, drivers, his barber? A tip on top of his tip? A random act of kindness?”
Hmmmm, she wondered. Could the idea work?
After Christmas dinner, surrounded by Lincoln Logs, children fueled by sugary treats, and piles of gift wrap, she watched and waited as her father opened and read his card. He examined the tiny envelopes.
“I leave a tip...and one of these envelopes, too? How do I know I’m not giving too much?” he asked.
“That’s the point Dad! You can’t give too much. You’re giving a random act of kindness to brighten someone’s day.”
Fast forward several months….
“Lori—a waitress at the Village Cafe—came over to my table after opening her envelope and gave me a big hug. And, I gave an envelope to Matt at The Waterfront. When he opened it and found a ten, he asked if I was sure I wanted to give him that much. I told him it wasn’t up to me. My daughter wanted him to have a little extra— for taking care of me. He just grinned and stuffed it in his pocket.”
The daughter smiled in gratitude.
That Inspiration Fairy knew what she was talking about!
Follow this breadcrumb if you are interested in purchasing a Gift of Shared Kindness.