A Random Act of Kindness

Most of the time, when an item is important to me, it isn’t as much about the actual item as it is about the memory. It’s the story behind the item that makes it special. That’s the case with this little bear from my childhood that reminds me of a time when I was the recipient of a random act of kindness.

One year, on the way to visit my grandparents for Christmas, we stopped at a museum in West Virginia to break up the long drive.  My mom decided to do some Christmas shopping at the gift shop. So, I planted myself in front of the display of hand-stitched tiny suede teddy bears, where the cashier patiently fielded dozens of questions about each little bear. The bears had absolutely captured my attention, and of course, I begged my mom for one.

They were hand-made and expensive. Plus, my mom had already finished shopping for me. It wasn’t happening. Mom paid for her items and asked for directions before we got back on the road.

That night, my mom got a call at our hotel asking her to verify the address on the check she had used at the museum. I remember her thinking it was weird, but she verified that it was our current address.

After Christmas, we returned home, and a week or two later, an unmarked package arrived. There was no return address or note, and it was simply addressed “April.” When I opened the box, there was one of the little suede bears that I had been so captivated by.

I still don’t know who gave it to me or why, but the thoughtfulness of that gift has stayed with me. I’ve kept the little bear long after outgrowing stuffed animals because it reminds me how it felt to receive that random act of kindness.

Teaching Students About Kindness

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I LOVE this flipbook for my class… It’s interactive, allows for an opportunity for the students to reflect, and gives them ideas on how to be kind! :)

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Learn More!

That bear has also become a teaching tool, as I’ve shown it to my kids during lessons on kindness. If you’re working on kindness in your classroom, check out the classroom kindness challenge above. You can also grab the free one-page version below.