Right now I want to live a kind-er life. I'm spending this time sending out as much mail as I can. It's giving me pause to think about the person I'm mailing to. I've even been in stores and thought "so and so would like this..." I hope to be remembered as someone who reached out when they could and put just a tiny bright spot on the planet.

Not joining, but I’m chuckling at the irony of the swap image because I just finished the first book, in the Hunger Games series, mere moments ago :)

In my life, I just want to make sure I leave the world a better place then I found it.

For a peaceful and kinder life, I am to start with giving back to our planet - e.g. planting more shrubs at my backyard, picking up trash and put them where they belong. :)

I’ve been making masks for people, for free if they have a health issue or if they are a front line worker. I’ve also been making cards of encouragement for strangers based on recommendations from people in my community. Before this I was sending RAK letters based on the people on the More Love Letters blog. I may still do that but I’m trying to focus on my community right now.

@Behindblueeyes Yes, that is an interesting coin-ka-dink! 😂 Thanks for sharing the ironic humor!

@thebragal Thank you for sharing about the More Love Letters project! This is new to me, and I am certainly going to look more into it!

I believe in that Ghandi quote about “being the change you wish to see in the world” and one action I am now taking, daily, to practice mindful kindness and gratitude is finding joy in life’s minuscule, mundane moments.

Somedays, this may be the joy of parenting as best I can, through temper tantrums and messes made...others it could be more about the joys of being a part of something bigger in the world, like Swap-bot where I choose to share some happy mail with others...

I am RE-starting “small” because I used to be that go-getter/world-changer giving of myself, my time and my resources, but the needy never ended...and greedily, people abused my kindness. My husband called me gullible and pointed it out to me when I was bending over backwards to help a single mom with her kids despite my own waning health concerns. Whether it was him or my poor health, I eventually paid attention - that was my “LIGHT BULB” epiphany moment! And although it was many moons ago, and I have improved in several ways health-wise, I will remain cautiously optimistic.

After all, Jesus said, “The poor you will always have with you” (Matthew 26:11).

My point being, that I hosted this swap to hear from EVERYONE interested in sharing! There’s no measure of world impact here! I do not issue “stars and dots” like some Max Lucado story!

WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!!!

You could be Elon Musk on No Name Posie! No matter to me!

ULTIMATELY, no matter who you are, the desire to change has to begin again, each new day with the “man in the mirror” (yes, I am quoting a Michael Jackson song!)

mic drop/stepping down from my soap box now 😉

@megan1230 Thank you for sharing your kindness! I know my little part of the world has certainly become brighter by the mail you’ve shared with me!

@52901m How? Please include an ACTION item ;-)

@lasciviouskisses Thank you for putting litter where it belongs! I know that our oceans and globe are better for it! Every bit make a difference too!!

Those shrubs sound lovely as well! Thank you for joining the e-swap and sharing!!

My favorite part of that video was when he talked about the fish coming out of the ocean already wrapped. I enjoyed quarantine. With my daughter home, and nobody having to work it was nice. Finding new hobbies and spending time together.

I want to improve the world in any way I can, whether that be big or small. I am trying to start a compost bin and teach my little sister that not everything is trash- (you can rinse out and recycle the orange juice container) I am a part of the younger generation and I would like others who are my age to acknowledge and actively combat climate change in all ways possible.

Thanks for doing this giveaway!

Oh my goodness, this gave me goose bumps and brought a tear to my eye... I have to say that my husband, children and I didn’t mind isolation...we played more games together, had more movie nights together and enjoyed not rushing from one activity to the next. We found new ways to appreciate what we already have without wanting new and bigger and better. It’s been different for each of us...my husband is spending less time on the computer and doing woodworking projects and gardening with our second child. My oldest is rediscovered his love of drawing and creating art and my youngest has been helping me bake and following in her mummas footsteps by creating happymail/snailmail to send to her friends. My indoor plants are thriving because I am now paying more attention to them. My little herb garden is growing well, we are now composting our scraps for our garden as well. In the evenings less lights and more candles are creating a soothing cozy comfy home...I am enjoying this simpler way of life and will not be eager to rush back to how we were 💚

Added to say - thank you for organising CookieMomster78 🤗

I live by trying to recycle and reuse anything that I can. We like to reuse cans and containers for other things. I want to spend my days more at peace and in touch with nature. Thank you for hosting this c:

I've been a bit bogged down mentally by everything that's been going on in the world. As I work with young children, I've been pretty busy so I haven't had the time for the same amount of introspection. Instead I've been noticing that socioeconomic factors have more noticeable than ever (just the families that I work with). Some children have their parents and nannies and a great big kitchen to make cupcakes and others are stuck in a flat with parents who don't have the spare income to buy some playdough or have to work from home so they can't help their children with school work and then there are the children of essential workers who get to come into school each day but can't hug their parents before they've showered and changed their clothes after work. And then there are the children who are too young to understand why granny or grandad are ill or that they can't see them.

All in all, I'm trying to do my best for my class so that they can get through this period. We drew some lovely pictures for the NHS and letters for essential workers (mainly scribbles but I decoded most of their writing). These last couple of months have been crazy but we'll keep surviving.

I am going to leave the world a better place by advocating for LGBT+ Rights, Gender Equality, and Black Equality, as well as advocating for the end of police brutality. As a future librarian, i will have the opportunity to “expose” people to the corruptmess and inequalities in the world, and be able to give them the resources they need to educate themselves.

I'm a Buddhist and the whole motivation behind my tradition is to become enlightened for the sake of all sentient beings. I'm nowhere close to enlightenment, but I meditate every day, leaving me to be more calm and stable, not to mention, kinder person. And the benefits of my meditation spread outwards to those around me and beyond. I'm also hoping I can start working with a hospice to give those who are dying know they are loved.

That was a very good video.

How do you want to live now? What do you want to do with this precious time? Will you leave a legacy, make a difference, and be remembered?

I had Breast cancer and all the fun stuff that goes with it in 2015. Cancer can make you re-evaluate your life, with the above same questions. but I found I was very content with my life and my choices.

In fact, when I think of Question 3, about legacy. I save 5 kids from a life of prostitution, and abuse. One of the 5 actually became a Special Ed teacher. I know she would have not reached that far, if she was left with her Bio mother.

But what did the stay at home virus do to my world view. I felt like I really didnt DO much, but once I was forced to stay home, I could not do Hospice visits, nor distribute food for my food bank, I realized I was doing stuff, and important stuff. I missed the library, and the visits to the used bookstore and the craft stores. I sure was spending less. AND I wasnt ordering online.

I found that my search for Toilet Paper and paper towels, was a fun quest that filled me with joy when I came home with my bounty.

My next action is to seek out a homeless man I have been seeing, 1/2 naked and darkened by the sun, and give him some bottled water, and a gift card for food, in the area he is walking daily. Not much of a legacy there, but I am concerned about him. Who is helping him? How is staying cool?

Time is precious, and I plan to live each day with joy, but I was doing that, since before 2015.

I plan to help my 32 year old (former-foster) son, who now live with me again, through the next year, (and with a good attitude!), as he prepares for a kidney transplant and beyond. That is a legacy I can leave to him. He really needs to feel loved and valuable. Sometimes this is hard for me to do, because of his personality quirks.

I want to be remembered as person who loved others, and helped them be a better version of themselves.

I really could work on taking care of me! Moving to the best health possible so I can live a longer life and be a positive influence on those around me.

I would take the time to enjoy what I have...food, shelter and a loving husband. Both of us are essential workers and it has been rough on us. I would love to see a kinder world, more aware of pollution and all working together to maintain low levels of pollution. It CAN be done!! We just have to find the correct road and walk together hand in hand towards a brighter future!!

What an amazing video in an amazing time to be alive. We get the chance everyday to start over. This pandemic has made me slow down and appreciate each breath. And when we do, we learn more, think more, live more, love more. Every day is a blessing. I love how the little boy asks why it took a virus to teach us and it reminds me of how challenges and hardships shape us. It isn’t what happens to us, but how we react to it. Even if we just help one person breathe easier, we will have succeeded.

Thank you to each of you for participating in the "Great Realization" swap! I will be putting your envies in t he mail this week too say "thanks" as well!! :-) Stay safe and spread goodness wherever you can! Much aloha! <3