The Happy Day Project

I wish I could take credit for this idea. It's really good. But I can't. It belongs to Jeannett over at "Life Rearranged"(liferearranged.com). And, I didn't even find her blog on my own, but I found it now.

The Happy Day Project is really quite simple. It's small things that we can do everyday (or simply on the one day) to make someone else smile. Yesterday was mailing a handwritten card to someone. Totally doable, but not something we really do anymore in the world of blogs, e-mails, and facebook. So, it's a good idea. Especially because I always feel like I'm about five years old when I get a card in the mail. It's like a mini-Birthday (the good childhood birthday full of magic).

Today's "project" can be a lot more challenging. Today's challenge is a "giftcard to the homeless." I could go on about it, but she does a pretty awesome job:

Happy Day Project: Giftcard to the Homeless

For those of you who aren't going to click: The gist of it is all our arguments about why we don't help the homeless are stupid. It really shouldn't matter if they choose to be homeless, happen to be homeless, homelessness is a result of their own choices, or bad things just happened to them. It shouldn't matter if they are on crack, or if they're alcoholics, or if they're suffering from PTSD.


Everyone deserves a warm meal.

When she breaks it down like that, it makes you feel like kindof a jerk for not giving more homeless people giftcards. But most of us aren't jerks (some of us are) we're just busy, and we like to make excuses. But today, there are no more excuses. Go to McD's get a couple $5 giftcards and keep them in your glove box or your wallet or your purse. That way, instead of dodging eye contact the next time you see someone who is homeless you can smile and help make their day a little better (and if you're really concerned they'll take your money and buy drugs...with the giftcard they have to use it on food). It's a win-win situation.

So, today's post has nothing to do with traveling (although homelessness is not something stopped by national borders). Tomorrow I'll get back to it. Maybe with some home-grown traveling. But today, I had to pass on this wonderful project.