Arriving back home to be with family and friends is what is on the minds of most people this time of year. So much energy is put into such a short amount of time, just for the purpose of being with our loved ones. I can think of nothing more important than the celebration of family and getting together to do just that. While on the road for these four months, which seemed to fly by, one of my favorite conversations was when I would talk with parents who were with their children. I was able to get a first hand glimpse into what a special blessing the family unit is, while parents interacted with their children by spending time with them and being ever-present role models  for their children to witness. A passing down of the most important core values from parent to child. This is how children learn these most important values. This is parenting, plain and simple. Simply taking responsibility for the children, we bring into this world. Giving them the best possible chance of becoming caring citizens of this world. With children growing up much too fast in this world today, the role of being a parent to your children has never been more important.

I am blessed to have family and friends who embody the preceding values. I am surrounded by children and young adults who are products of the loving nurturing, which their parents showed them. Being a role model to your children is forever. This is their motto. This should be the motto of every parent. The picture above is of one such person.

**The Kindness Bus Tour resumes its daily journey and blog on January 6^th 2010

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All!!!

                          Snowstorm or no snowstorm, Santa Bob and Bogart, aka Dasher, have a stop to make before riding the wave of snow north to Cleveland. We decided to get an earlier visit to the Carilion Hospital than we had originally planned. An early morning phone call from the hospital confirmed this would be the best plan.

We arrived at the hospital and did a quick transformation in the bus, which rivaled any change Superman ever did in a phone booth. The children were in the play area waiting for Santa and Dasher to arrive as The Kindness Sleigh arrived with a clatter. The children ran to the fence to see what was the matter. There in the parking lot was a jolly old soul with a cutest looking dog reindeer in tow.

The twenty or so preschool age children who came to meet us were spellbound at the sight of Santa Bob and Dasher, exiting The Kindness Sleigh. I have to admit, playing Santa is as rewarding as it gets. The commentary from children of this age is priceless. One child says, “Santa”…”Santa” … (tug on sleeve) “Santa does your bus fly”?  Still another says, “Where are your reindeer Santa”?  This is pure magic. We visited for fifteen minutes or so and then posed for some photos and the children sent us off by singing a great Christmas song.

A knock on the window from the adults inside made it clear that Santa could not possibly leave without visiting all of the hospital staff. Two of Santa’s helpers, Marcia and Abby, were dispatched to escort Santa Bob and Dasher inside. We visited all of the hospital staff and not a single person subscribed to being naughty over nice. Santa was pleased to hear this. We made one last visit to Chaplain, Jonathan Webster before leaving and Santa’s helpers packed a goody bag of cookies for the long ride north. May the entire Carilion community have a joyous Christmas.

Reba Henry, who I met in a Belmont restaurant during my morning coffee, had already gone outside and had to come back in to find “Bob”. She talked about how things have changed and was quite emotional in expressing her hopes for a return to kinder times. She said she is going to spread this message to everyone she knows. Her Sunday school is first on her list. Cathy, a restaurant manager, told me of all of her young employees and how much pressure is on them to help their families, by working to pay bills. She is going to get her employees and other managers involved in One Million Acts Of Kindness. She has the respect of so many of them, as she helps in every way she can to make their lives easier. It still amazes me as to the number of people who approach me during the course of the day to express their support of The Kindness Bus Tour.

Swine Flu is prevalent in every state in which I am traveling. I was hoping to visit Children’s Hospitals on my travels north, but it doesn’t look like it is going to happen. Only relatives and close friends are being allowed in to most hospitals, no casual visitors. There are two hospitals I called, which have even eliminated their regular Santa. Ho Ho Hum. And just to think, Bogart was good to go, sporting his “Dasher” outfit. The Kindness Sleigh is currently trying to outrun a major snowstorm coming out of the Gulf. A total of twelve inches of snow is supposed to fall on Virginia, but very little snow a few hundred miles to the north. We have a Santa and “Dasher”, command performance tomorrow morning for the Little Angel Day Care at the Carilion Medical Center and then dash off to the north…On Dasher, On Dancer…Go Bogart Go.

What a friendly group of students and staff. Before I could get out the door of the bus, I was met with a compliment, “I love your bus and its message”, were the kind words spoke by Professor Ed McGee. He was about to ride off on his motorcycle and was happy that our paths crossed. The students still on campus since yesterday’s last final were eager to know of The Kindness Bus Tour. I must have heard no fewer than ten times during our visit, “Is that your bus I saw in the parking lot”. Inquiring minds wanted to know. Steve and Tasha, who work on campus at The Holy Grounds coffee shop, loved the thought of someone taking an initiative to start a kindness movement. They were very complimentary as well. Being that finals finished yesterday and the campus was empty of the majority of the student body, I gave several stickers to each student, to pass to family members and friends over the holidays.

David, a restaurant supervisor in Belmont, stopped by while I was writing this blog, he could not stop smiling as we talked about the possibilities of the good that could come from this grassroots effort spreading across this country. We looked across the dining room of his restaurant and wished in our hearts, for all the good that could possibly come to each and everyone in the room. He was still smiling as we parted and said, “You have one more fan”.

This small private university, even though it is closed for Christmas, is worth making the trip to see if any students are still on campus. We arrived to find the campus empty of all students, but faculty and staff were still present. Not to be deterred, we decided to visit some of the buildings. The Library was first on our list and once we met the woman at the front desk, we realized that we wouldn’t need to go any further. This wonderful treasure, Liz Crawford, was all I needed to talk to about One Million Acts Of Kindness. We talked for what seemed the better part of the morning. Liz was a grade school teacher for twenty-five years, all throughout the United States. She has spent the last twenty years at Southern Wesleyan. Being in education for forty-five years, you are bound to see some changes, first-hand.

Liz has a concern about improving the direction this world is headed. She has eleven grandchildren who are younger than the age of eighteen. She talked of a time when things were simpler and there was a sense of community among neighbors. She wants this again, for her grandchildren. The mission of One Million Acts Of Kindness reminded her of that simpler time. Liz said that she thought many students at the University would embrace a goal of kindness. I gave her a stack of stickers for her family and the students upon their return. What a great way to start a new year, vowing to perform One Million Acts Of Kindness.