I volunteer to read to second graders at Kirkpatrick School in Clarksdale, MS. It's the highlight of my week. My intent is to inspire them to read and learn more. They're generous with hugs and love letters.
St. Paul's Methodist Church adopted Kirkpatrick school. We provide cookies or cupcakes, lemonade and achievement stickers for over 100 K-4 children each quarter. I peel the stickers off and stick them on their shirt. Each child gets one and a compliment on their achievement.
I wore a few leftover stickers to Walmart. It didn't take long to find a frazzled clerk trying to restock first aid. "You look like you could use a sticker." She burst into a smile just short of tears, "I needed that!"
The day of our Peace March, I came around an aisle in Kroger's and there was this man wearing a gold paper crown, a black with gold threads suit, and a full-length black coat draped over his shoulders like a cape. To top it off, he had this long stick with a twisted root. When I got my breath, I asked if I could take his picture. "Sure." The man beside him happened along. They knew each other. It was a two for one.
I asked, "Mr. King, would you like a peace sticker?"
"Sure,put it on my hand."
As I turned to leave, he added, "Isn't it nice to be nice?"
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