Gifts from Carrie: A Story of Kindness

By: Lindsay Dawson, Choosy Kids Social Media Account Manager

Kindness comes from the heart and at Choosy Kids, we promote keeping your heart healthy. It doesn’t always have to happen through nutrition and exercise, but sometimes just a good deed can fill your heart.

I’d like to tell you a story that I shared on my personal blog in June of 2014 as it relates to kindness. Enjoy!

Last summer, I met a neighbor named Carrie, a 95-year-old woman with enough spunk, energy, love, dance moves, and kindness to fill the world. We had tentative conversations at first, turning into sweet acquaintances and talks about the weather.

Since our initial meeting, though, she and I have developed a little rapport. Some days, I think she waits for me to pull in the driveway, just to eagerly greet me with a quick “Hey, neighbor!” and a smile. During our very cold and snowy winter, she’d stand in her doorway and wave, grinning ear to ear. I knew she was special then. Carrie reminded me of another sweet neighbor I had growing up; she acted like a grandmother, and meant more to me than I was ever able to tell her. They both reminded me of the glorious possibilities that exist when you open your heart to another person, unapologetically.

In her sweet nature, Carrie began to bring me “gifts”. She’d meet me in the driveway with a Klondike Bar, a Rice Krispy Treat, a handful of Root Beer Barrels. Now, she bangs right on my door – which is sometimes incredibly startling – and hands me her next gift. I began to photograph and post these on my Instagram account, using #giftsfromcarrie to track the images.

These gifts – small, unwrapped, and seemingly ordinary – have filled my heart in a way I can never accurately describe. It overflows. It bursts. Her small acts of kindness are not small at all. They fill my world to the absolute brim, and I made it a personal mission to get a photo with her. I wanted to introduce her on Instagram and my #giftsfromcarrie followers…an unveiling of the serendipitous source of all these kind-hearted gestures. When I asked her for a photo one night, she excitedly put her arm around me and grinned. She asked “Can I do this?” proceeding to stick her tongue out. Of course!, I said. So we took two. A nice one – which I love – and a silly one!

The course of our friendship has been hilarious and entertaining, in the very least. Her sincerity and charm is absolutely captivating. Her wit and liveliness is contagious. She’s a rarity. To witness her character is to experience the exact reason we exist…to build and cultivate breathtaking relationships with those around us.

Carrie is a gem. She’s given me far more than the simple gifts I photograph for Instagram. She’s given me inspiration to never stop moving, caring, and dancing on my front porch – as she does. She’s taught me that a gift does not have to be beautifully wrapped, extravagant, or even planned to be meaningful. A “hello” and a smile can do more for a person’s soul than you may ever know. These are her gift - to me and to each of us. So please, please, please take something away from this remarkable woman with a stunning story.

Please accept these gifts from Carrie.

I am sad to share that Carrie passed away in April of 2015, but through Lindsay’s words, her kindness will live on forever. Even little ones can learn from this story as the #giftsfromcarrie weren’t expensive, but came from the heart, which is where kindness is derived.

Choosy Kids would love for Carrie’s story to be shared through other acts of kindness and tagged with the hashtag #giftsfromcarrie. No act of kindness should go unnoticed, whether big or small, young or old.

This piece was originally posted on StrongTots as part of the Kinder by the Child project!

About the Author: Lindsay Dawson earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Studies and a minor in vocal performance from West Virginia University in 2012. In May of 2014, she graduated from WVU with a Master’s of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications. She has enjoyed working for several non-profits, and in addition to her position with Choosy Kids, Lindsay is currently employed as the Outreach Coordinator for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Morgantown, WV. Her ultimate career ambitions inspire her to combine her love of the arts with her passion for marketing, leadership, and civic engagement.