The Birthday Project began in 2010 with Robyn Bomar. She was celebrating her 38th birthday and decided to work on 38 random acts of kindness for her birthday. She posted this experience on her blog, and, with the help of Pinterest, became global. The response for her birthday was so positive that she began a non-profit organization that promotes acts of kindness for birthdays, holidays and just the regular day to day.
I first encountered this idea on Pinterest a few days after my last birthday and kept it in mind for the following birthday. In retrospect, I should have started then. I consider myself to be a very fortunate person. I am a relatively healthy person with sound mind and body and who has been blessed to receive all the education and nourishing I could ever need and want. I have a wonderful family who I look up to and that supports me on whatever project or endeavor. My nucleus made up of my mom, grandma and two sisters has supported me as I ventured out to college, as I moved to Mexico, when I began working and had to produce plays and grade endless piles of exams, when I purchased my first apartment, my first dramatic break up, traveling, sickness, health, good and bad moods, and most recently, moving to the Netherlands and all that this entails. I have more family that also supports me in every sort of thoughtful way with a simple message via facebook and promoting my blog. I have friends and cousins all over the world with whom I keep in touch with and who I visit and visit me. I have a wonderful cat named Mona that joined my life two years ago and has offered comfort, company and has even traveled on a plane for me. Last but not least, I live with a man whose good nature leaves me short for words (as puzzling as this could be to me). He believes in my projects, particularly my writing projects, more than I can possibly believe in them. He is quick to forgive and thoughtful in every aspect. In short, I am blessed beyond belief. My sorrows and bad moments cannot possibly outweigh this much wonderfulness (although I sometimes let myself believe that they do) as I know and hope is the same for those of you reading.
On Friday I will turn 29, and I have been keeping this project in mind for almost a year. I have asked friends and family to suggest acts of kindness so that the audience to benefit is diverse. A unique aspect I found to my birthday project is how diverse in location it will be. I think it is futile to do all 29 acts in one day so I have decided to make it a month-long project with the hopes that I will be able to do more than 29 acts and that many will benefit. I am starting in my immediate surroundings, with my neighbors in Geleen (Netherlands) who I know little of but who always offer a smile and a warm "Halo!" Riccardo and will be in Paris for my birthday so I plan to also contribute this goodness to Paris. Shortly after, I will fly to Mexico to spend the holidays with my family where I will finish this project. So I have 30 days to give back just a pinch of all that I have received.
This month my posts will mostly be about this project and I hope those of you reading will join me and share with me an act of kindness you have done in your community. It just takes a couple of chocolates for a neighbor, coffee for the person behind you in line or in the table next to you, food for an animal shelter, a blanket for a homeless person, etc. I truly believe that a small idea that began with Robyn three years ago can make our world a better place.
To read about Robyn's project and idea please visit her website: The Birthday Project
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