The drive thru! One of our boys' favorites for sure! However, this year it only took us 3 drive thrus (we added a fourth just because). The 3rd drive thru was a bigger order that quickly exhausted our funds. Still, it was fun (although the picture doesn't portray it in my smile...I was pretty tired). The first drive thru we completed, we actually heard the gentleman behind us (who we had paid for) pay for the person behind him. It was kind of cool to see that our simple act of kindness started a little chain. I don't know how long that chain lasted, but there was a small ripple. I guess that's what I hope...not just for others, but that it inspires myself and my family to continue to find ways to spread kindness, big or small. I know we still have a couple of planned acts of kindness coming up (placing candy canes on cars and visiting the Veterans Home), but perhaps, for that 12th act of kindness, we should each complete one personal act of kindness; something we think of and complete on our own. I think it's easy for the boys to be kind when we have planned (and most of the time paid for or prepared for) acts, but will that last? If I'm the one orchestrating all of it, do they receive the maximum benefit? I do think they receive joy. I love seeing their smiles as we hand our gift cards at Walmart or their excitement as we roll up to the drive thrus and they come up with stories about the cars behind us and what they may be experiencing this season or their charity when (in past years) they have donated to an extra tip for a server at a restaurant, but I'm not always going to be there to encourage this kindness. I would hope that I have done enough that it is something that comes naturally to them. I think that's why our final act may be an individual act of kindness, but for tonight we filled our bellies (yes, we actually went through enough drive thrus to get dinner for each of us) and enjoyed our favorite Christmas Act of Kindness.
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