May 13, 2014
Contagious Kindness!
I don't know a whole lot about music because I'm just a dog, but one thing I do know is that some songs make you want to get up and dance all over the place. Maybe you've been to a wedding reception where everybody was just sitting around staring at each other, but then the DJ played the song 'Twist and Shout' and a bridesmaid ran over to the dance floor with a big grin on her face. Then the Best Man joined her, followed by the groom's mother. Pretty soon the whole crowd was bouncing around like Mexican jumping beans.
It's kind of like that with kindness, too. I can't speak for everyone, but when I hear about something nice that somebody did for someone else, it makes me want to get off the couch and do something nice too. Nothing makes me happier than when somebody is inspired to spread kindness because of something that I did.
For example, one time I decided to make a Thanksgiving card for a special needs child. My mom painted each of my toes a bright color so that I could make a turkey design. The little girl felt very loved when she received my card in the mail, and that's when her family thought about the kids at a local orphanage who might love turkey cards too! It's a good thing they already had a nice dog named Hobo, because he was more than willing to do his part to brighten his corner of the world. He cheerfully stood still while his family painted his paw over and over again until he had made enough cards for all of the boys and girls. The children gushed over the cards and felt very, very loved.
One day when it was too cold outside to go for a hike, I stayed inside and made a bunch of pink and purple paw-printed valentines that said 'I wuf you' and 'I dig you.' The next day, I delivered the special cards to my friends at the nursing home. I could tell by the twinkle in their eyes that they had never gotten a valentine from a dog before. One woman put hers in a picture frame right away. When I came back a few weeks later to visit, she smiled real big and said, 'I still have the valentine you made for me!' I haven't even told you the best part yet. A mother and daughter in the state of Washington found out about those paw-printed valentines and decided to follow in my footsteps. One-year-old Kayt made hand printed cards and delivered them to friends and neighbors who needed cheering up. One of them gave her a ride in a wheelchair, and she had so much fun that now she visits grandpas and grandmas at a nursing home twice a month.
Doesn't that make you wanna twist, shout, and work it on out? Go put on your dancing shoes and boogie to the beat of kindness!
Chipper is a therapy dog dropout and author who lives in Bailey, Colorado. Her autobiDOGraphy, which teaches that you don't have to be perfect to make a difference, has been featured in Denver Dog Magazine and Mile High Dog. To learn more about Chipper, visit www.ChippersFriends.com and follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChippersFriends .
