My Mother's Gift...

What do you get for a woman turning 80 who lives in a relatively small living space and isn't really in need of much? 

First you throw her a surprise party a few weeks before her birthday so she is completely caught off guard. You'll spend the next few weeks hearing her talk about "floating on air" from her joy and you'll hear/remember weird comments made at the party (if you don't know my mother they would be weird... But for anyone that knows how we regularly talk about her "croaking" some day, it's not so weird) like "Did I die?", "Is this heaven?" and "When I croak you don't have to have a funeral because we just had it and I got to be there!"

So... In the midst of near disasters with cakes, sibling head-butting, and watching your nieces and nephews delightedly gather wildflowers and decorate the ski lodge for the party, you begin to think... What can I possibly GIVE Mom?

I decided to keep it simple. I gave her 81 acts of kindness in her honor. (One to grow on!) 

It seems simple enough. Acts of kindness are part of my life naturally (not to brag or sound "self-serving"). But now that it's time to get started, I find myself mired in a dilemma... What constitutes an act of kindness worthy of making "the list"?

The other day at the beach, I offered to take photos of families trying to capture "the group selfie". It's kind. But is it kind enough?

The same day I stopped on my way over the dunes to bend some wire on the fencing inward so that nobody got jabbed or scraped by it. Is that kind enough?

Daily I take extra seconds to hold doors for people (often not getting thanked but smiling at them and saying "You're welcome" hoping they get the hint). 

Yesterday there was a woman outside the market in a wheelchair. She appeared to be waiting for something but it was really hot out. I asked if she needed a hand but she said she was all set. Does that count?

I have a funny feeling that I might get to my mom's 81st birthday running low on acts of kindness on the list... But that's okay. She taught me that every extension of myself in a kind way - a smile, a helpful gesture, a significant act of assistance - makes the world a better place. So in the end, no matter where the list ends up, I hope to have made a difference to at least a few people in honor of my wonderful mom!