I have been on the receiving end of a random act of kindness, and I will never forget how wonderful it made me feel. I was smiling from ear to ear, and my ordinary day suddenly turned to sunshine. I felt excited at the thought of passing it on. Even though I felt special receiving the kindness, I felt even better paying it forward. Simply because, I made someone feel as special as I felt.

The geese fight for prime nesting real estate, and unfortunately several of these areas are near in proximity to the building doors, both front and back. Early in the season, before spots are occupied there is a great deal of honking, flapping and squawking, over which pair will take ownership. During this time, if a human gets in the middle of the battle, chaos ensues.

While entering the theatre, every guest was given a bag of props to use during the movie, and I immediately felt the evening would be entertaining. While rummaging through the prop bag, we examined it’s contents, determining the use for each one. In the background, an elderly man played spirited music on what looked like to be a very old organ.

I put in my $20 and started pushing buttons, but it wasn’t clear to me on what constituted a win. I continued pushing the buttons as I watched my money dwindle……..then all of a sudden I hear a machine that is blaring and practically yelling…..I look up and it’s mine……..it’s so noisy I look around to see if anyone is noticing. It’s loudly announcing I have ten, and then another five free spins. At this point I have no control over the machine.

During my recent trip to Galena, my days were filled with activities and events, and I wanted to include things that would make my trip memorable by experiencing something new. After hearing about an upcoming surprise a bride was giving her groom, I knew that was the adventure for me too….in a hot air balloon.

During my recent solo maiden voyage get-away to Galena, IL., one of the challenges I anticipated facing was eating alone in restaurants.  Friends told me to bring a book, but I thought if I was looking down at the pages of a book, I might miss life.  I decided to face it straight on, without any distractions.

As a life longer learner, I love experiencing and learning new things.  I can’t say I always enjoy everything I attempt, but I am willing to give most things, within reason, a try.  Disclaimer ……the older I get, the lower to the ground and less dangerous new challenges become…..haha.

As I made my way onto the bus, clunky clubs in tow, one of the young men said “Hey, you’re new, I’ve never seen you before.” I replied, “You’re right, hi, my name is Sheryl, what’s yours?”  Without hesitation, we shook hands, and just that easy, I was accepted as part of the group.  There were four young gentlemen, all placing their clubs in the back of the bus, each one was wonderfully unique and special.

Another young couple squealed in delight as we had offered a small token; it was as if they had won the lottery or something much greater than we had shared