Improv Anywhere is one of the forces for good in this world. They make people happy with surprises. Can any of us say that we do that enough?
And this latest is fantastic.
I’ll tell you a secret: every single time I take a flight home, some secret part of me, the part that still makes believe - that little part always hopes that I’ll have a surprise welcoming committee.
How amazing to actually do it for people!
I hope this makes you smile today. And maybe welcome someone, too. You don’t need balloons and signs to make someone feel that you’re happy that they’re there.
I have a rule with myself: I always buy a drink from any kid with a sidewalk stand. Always.
The other day, a little boy about eight was bundled up behind a card table with a big red Thermos jug, a stack of Styrofoam cups and a plastic tablecloth flapping. I U-turned.
It’s important to appreciate people - to make an effort to connect with as many people as possible every day. And it’s extra-super-important with kids. Really, not to get all Sally Struthers, but what could be much more important in your day than taking a few quarters to help a kid feel successful?
So. Even if you don’t see any lemonade stands today, take the long way around and connect with somebody you might not otherwise have. Sometimes saving a dollar or five minutes comes at a pretty high cost.
Sometimes I feel bad for quoting from Patti so much. But if it’s the best there is - and it is - y’all deserve the best, right? So, then. Recently she wrote about a bit of poetry written by her daughter. I’ll let you read it …
…and now you’ll see why it’s been in my head.
My heart needs hopes and dreams.
I don’t think there’s anything much truer than that.
As a general temperament, I tend to be happy, but also with life in particular, because, well, I’m lucky - blessed, fortunate - whatever word you like.
But that’s not enough. At least, that’s not the end of the story. I don’t mean that it’s not important to be happy, to pay attention to all the beautiful moments in the day. If you don’t do that, you’re missing the point of life, I think. But if that was all , we really might as well be house cats. You can’t just sit in a patch of sun all day. There has to be a goal line - and not just one but lots of them.
People say life is a journey, but it’s more than that. It’s a journey to a destination, and really it’s more like an ongoing round-the-world trip, with one destination after another. Or at least that’s what I want. I don’t ever want to stop figuring out what my hops and drems are, figuring out how to win them, finding more.
Thank you, small Tess, for making me think about such important things today.
