It’s hard not to love this time of year; the beginning of the unofficial start of summer. The time of year to spend more time with friends, family and neighbors, time to take the indoors, outdoors.
The Chagrin Falls Jaycees tirelessly spend most of the year planning for this weekend event. An event which brings together hundreds of thousands of people from the surrounding communities and beyond (I even had the pleasure to meet a gentleman from England.) The three days of celebration is culminated by a solemn parade on the following day, honoring the brave fallen troops who fought so hard to preserve our precious rights.
I was able to talk with hundreds of parents and children who loved the fact that The Kindness Bus was able to be in their town for the event, for the second year in a row. A tip of the hat to the parking services who allowed my bus to be in a couple of prime parking spots during the course of the event. We received a warm welcome from everyone. Bogart deserves special honors for his over and above the call of duty actions, as ambassador of One Million Acts Of Kindness.
A big thanks to Lorraine, MJ, Collin, Lauren, Mason and our honorary bus driver for the parade, Mike K. for all of their help. What a great way to kick off the start of summer.

The Kindness Bus Tour will resume its travels and daily blog, beginning Monday, May 31st as we head to east coast.
Thank you for your kind thoughts and condolences over the past few weeks during a very difficult time.

Started as a community effort to save  neighboring houses from becoming part of a university campus, this annual fair has relied on local volunteers to keep it running for over forty years. It is an effort which raises funds to keep an awareness of protecting this small neighborhood from becoming another parking garage or campus building. In all cities, pockets of community exist as only one block at times. It is always a group of citizens who work together as a community to accomplish their goal. The Hessler Street Fair committee has been accomplishing the impossible longer than most other efforts remain viable.
Last year, Bogart and I used this fair as a test case, to promote One Million Acts Of Kindness. The response was unanimous; this mission was wanted and needed. Being back in Cleveland, I seized the opportunity to help set up some of the displays and take part in the weekend fair. I was able to talk with over 2,000 people during the course of the event and scheduled two visits to area schools in the upcoming months. A big thanks to all who made my visit possible and a tip of the hat to the local police force.

Another email has been sent to my thekindnessbustour@gmail box from a woman who has been inspired by One Million Acts Of Kindness. The reason for the letter was to inform me that the woman, now nearly 60, is reconsidering her future retirement. Every time I receive an email such as this, it inspires me. One never knows the response to another’s actions, good begets good, I’m sure. This woman who has had most everything she has ever wanted in her life, wants to give back to the homeless. She was devastated by the blog and photo I posted on Easter Sunday, just a few weeks ago. (I have decided to use this photo again, with the hopes of inspiring others, specifically, you!) Please look inside yourself to find what you are truly passionate about, and how you can use that passion for those in need. Don’t wait another day, because years have a way of slipping away.

A dedication to nursing takes a special individual. It takes a strong but compassionate person to work in critical care departments in hospitals. The care and comfort of others, in their time of need, is the attraction to this profession for most nurses. Lending their expertise in what they have learned in nursing schools, partnered with what they have learned in their hearts, is invaluable in caring for the very ill. To become intimately involved with a person’s few remaining days on earth and helping family and friends to let go of their loved one as the time draws near, takes a blessed individual. I met a few of them during the course of the past couple of weeks. Thank you Maria, Ashley, Karen, Donna, Pat and Ann.
These nurses in the CCU at Hillcrest we initially thought were caretakers, were in fact angels to my best friend Bob.

While taking today’s photo of a photograph that I have in my camera, the reflection of the shirt I was wearing appeared on the camera screen. Bob has been officially declared as performing One Million Acts Of Kindness in his lifetime. The world is a better place because of him. Rest in peace dear friend.

I’ll be off the road for a while visiting my dear friend Bob, giving all the support I can while he battles a severe illness in a Cleveland hospital.

Any and all prayers for him would be most welcome.

The following quotes are from people I talked with yesterday at the Hunger and Cancer walks:

A Mother is:
A hug when you’re down.
A spring flower.
Your first bike ride as a child.
Thanksgiving dinner.
The smell of brewing coffee.
Feeling better after being sick.
An overnight snowfall.
Leaves changing color.
A new pair of shoes.
Bedtime stories.
Forgiveness.
A warm sweater.
Your last day of school for the year.
A band-aid on your scrape.
Jump in the pool an a hot day.
Blueberry pancakes.
Fireworks.
A new puppy.
Family.
Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting
A sky full of stars.
Jumping in a pile of leaves.
A baby’s smile.
Warm bread.
A day off.
Frost on the grass.
Giving to others.
A day without a schedule.
Everything good.