Hello friend.
My 58-58-58 Birthday Kindness Project is launching today! It is my decade anniversary of doing this project. (Holy smokes! The years fly by!)
Every year for the past ten years, I have been sending letters of love and kindness to strangers as a way of celebrating my birthday.
The first year I did this, I wrote as many letters as the age I was becoming — in that number of hours. {Yikes!} 48 letters to 48 strangers in 48 hours.
I don’t think I got any sleep those two days, trying to finish so many letters. It was exhilarating. But also, exhausting.
Starting the next year, I got a little smarter and changed it to “writing as many letters as the age I am becoming in that many days.”
Ahhhh. More sane.
I quickly noticed that the sense of connection and quiet joy extended for a much longer period. I like that I’m immersed in this expansion of love for nearly a couple of months.
I turn 58 on October 2 and I am requesting your help with my project.
Do you know someone who is lonely, lost, disappointed, grieving, or blue? Someone who is going through a difficult time right now and could use a boost of love?
For the past two years, the world has been unsettled and uncertain in so many ways. There has been a lot of grief, illness, and loneliness.
There are a lot of people who need extra TLC.
Think about your circle and community; who is grieving the loss of someone they love — a death or divorce? Who is afraid? Who is disappointed or feeling let down by life? Who is in physical pain? Who is caregiving for someone they love?
Let’s reach out to them with love.
***
Here’s how the Birthday Kindness Project works:
I open up spaces for letters a dozen at a time. I’m reaching out to you, my beloved community, FIRST!
Right now, I am opening up 12 slots for letters.
By limiting the numbers at each request, I know that all these letters will be sent within the next two weeks. That’s important because a lot of the times there is an urgency to the situation.
Then, at some point I will put out a call for more letters. In between I also take requests that come from my blog, social media, and other places.
***
How to request a letter:
It’s simple.
* You email me your person’s name and POSTAL mail address.
* You share just a few highlight sentences about what they are going through and also what you love best about this person. (These are really important because they help me craft a meaningful letter.)
* You let me know if you want the love letter sent anonymously from the Universe, or on your behalf. Note: Only you know whether it will have a greater impact for the letter to come from the Universe or from you. Some people love the magic of an anonymous letter. For others, it might creep them out!
If you are one of the first twelve people to contact me right now, I will let you know and we’ll make sure your friend or loved one receives some love in the mail. If not, I will apologize + invite you to respond next time I ask for help.
Make sense?
***
I want to tell you that what I love MOST about this project is that there is a circular motion of love in action.
You contacting me about someone who needs a boost is an act of love on your part. Pay attention to that. Feel it.
When I receive these requests, I get filled with a sense of loving YOU for being the kind of person who cares so deeply. Then, when I write and send the letters, I get to be filled up again with so much love for the person I am writing to.
Finally, if the letter is sent on your behalf, you will likely receive a rush of love from the person who got the letter. (If the letter is sent anonymously, we can all imagine how uplifting it will be for that person to receive unexpected kindness in their mailbox.)
The love just keeps going ‘round and ‘round.
What I also love most, is that when I am in the midst of this project, I am reminded every single day that we can always expand the container of love.
We can expand how we love, who we love, and the ways we love.
***
I used to feel lonely a lot.
Then, over the years, I started to understand that anytime I was feeling lonely all I had to do was offer love to someone in my life, and voila (!) my heart would be full and I would be connected.
Doing this Kindness Project has taken that concept to a whole new level. It has taught me that there is always someone I can offer love to — and I don’t even have to know them. That means there is an endless of supply of love at the ready. I just need to start the ball rolling by offering some.
I have this profound understanding now that I can choose to feel connected any time I am willing to reach out.
Do you know what I mean?
Have you ever felt this?
I hope you might give it a whirl yourself today.
Reach out to someone and offer a kind word or a gesture of love. Then watch how you feel!
Thank you for being a part of my world. Our connection means so much to me.
YOU mean so much to me.
We’re all in this together.
Seek celebration — even in the dark corners,
xo Sherry
P.S. A reminder that when I asked, “Do you know anyone who needs a boost of love,” that person could be YOU. Never leave yourself out of the equation of love. Reach out if you need a boost, okay?
P.P.S Sometimes requests pour in right away. I never know how many when I first request ’em. I may not be able to respond to you right away if you email me. Rest assured, I will respond as soon as I can. I promise.