Category: Gratitude
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31 Days of Random Acts of Kindness: Week 1 Results
Have you been performing 31 Days of Random Acts of Kindness? I’ve had so much fun in the past week being extra kind and seeing the reactions of strangers. I’ve also noticed many people performing random acts of kindness for me. What have I done? I’ve . . . Treated my favorite 1st year Foresters…
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Homeless Helper Bags
If you’re a longtime reader of Little Merry Sunshine, you may remember how last December I was inspired by my Facebook friend Scott to make meal bags and pass them out to homeless people. That activity was one of the best parts of my year of 100 new experiences because it reminded me how grateful…
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Celebrate Thanksgiving with The West Wing
Today is Thanksgiving and one of the things I’m most grateful for is the seven season documentary* The West Wing. I know this show backwards and forward, sort of like some people know Caddyshack or Star Wars or the Blues Brothers I. Love. The. West. Wing. Don’t bother to argue with me about Aaron Sorkin. I…
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31 Days of Random Acts of Kindness – 2014 Elf on the Shelf Edition
In December 2013, I hitched my wagon to my friend Stacy’s incredible idea of 31 Days of Random Acts of Kindness and spent the entire month spreading joy throughout the land. Stacy even created a hashtag, #31RAOK, which was a blast to use and follow on Twitter and Facebook. Last year was such a success…
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Elf on the Shelf turns this hater into a believer
Unless you’ve been living under a rock without internet access for the past few years, you’ve undoubtedly heard of or come into direct contact with the Elf on the Shelf phenomenon that will shortly overtake the otherwise rational minds of parents everywhere. It appears the Elf on the Shelf began innocently enough, but has morphed…
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It’s my 1 Year ChicagoNow Blogiversary!
One year ago today I joined the ChicagoNow family of bloggers. As I celebrate this one year blogiversary, it’s important to remember that I’ve actually been writing Little Merry Sunshine for more than seven years. Little Merry Sunshine began over on Blogger as a way for me to experiment with writing. I had no idea…
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This I believe
A little over seven years ago, I did a Crash Davis-like Things I Believe In blog post on the original Little Merry Sunshine blog. To this day, it ranks right up there with my all-time favorite posts. Oh, you’re not familiar with Crash Davis’s monologue from Bull Durham? I won’t judge you (much), but you…
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Post-lumpectomy recovery
NOTE: If you haven’t read the first three installments of this unexpected series, My first mammogram saved my life, Respect my coping skills and I’ll respect yours, and My lumpectomy was easy-peasy, I encourage you to read them. It’s not necessary to read them in order to understand what’s happening, but they will give you more…
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Respect my coping skills and I’ll respect yours
Since sharing my mammogram and tomorrow’s lumpectomy story six days ago, I’ve been inundated with both public and private messages thanking me for demystifying the process of getting a mammogram. Women have shared their own lumpectomy and mastectomy stories, how they were scared, and how they dealt with their emotions in a variety of ways.…
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My favorite name is Sister
October 5th marked the 40th anniversary of when I gave up the name “Only Child” and took on “Sister.” As I recall it, it was a bright early October day when my brother Dave came into the world. Fall had hit and we were wearing socks with our sandals in Ft. Myers, Florida. It was…
Jessica L Gardner 