What do you know it rained again all week (well just about), so this week I had to improvise again at the last minute for this weeks Be The Change Act. I can’t tell you how happy that made me, because this one really touched my heart.
With all the rain, came the wind and it apparently blew a good amount of trash over into the cemetery a few blocks from my house. It made me sad because I can only imagine a loved one coming by to pay their respects and seeing the trash around them. So after taking Seamus for a walk I grabbed a trash bag and a pair of heavy duty construction gloves I use for yard work, I walked back over to the cemetery to clean it up. I tried to be very respectful (catholic guilt) when walking around.
I began to pull harder and even used my bare hands to remove all the grass and dirt I could to reveal his plaque and I though to myself, this is why I am here. This is why it rained again, so I had to do this act. Yes, it may just be picking up trash but I also got to uncover an almost completely covered plaque for a hero. I said a prayer to him and thanked him for his service. Regardless of what you believe, today I felt grateful for at least in this moment he was not forgotten, he was honored even if just by me, and hopefully now by all of you who are reading.
I am so grateful to have picked up almost a full bag of trash but don’t be discouraged if you don’t happen to have a cemetery with trash covering it, because that just doesn’t happen everyday. There are a lot of local charities that go around to help clean up a local park, school, roadways, and trails though. Making your neighborhood clean from trash is just as important, and a Random Act worth doing.
Are you considering doing your own Act of Kindness? If not, what is stopping you? Grab a button if you would like to spread the word. The change that we seek in others has to first come from within. This year I hope you decide to Be the Change You Seek.
love love love. i hate it that people leave all kinds of garbage at cemeteries or anywhere, for that matter. you have such a kind heart and i know for a fact that the loved ones of those who are lain to rest would appreciate this if they knew it. i know i would if someone did that around my dad’s site.
xoxoxox
Thank you! I know I wouldn’t like it if I saw it on he grave of someone I loved so it was an easy decision for me.
Yes, that is why you were there!! I took a tall kitchen trash bag on a walk around a nearby development and it was full before I was halfway around. So easy not to litter. We can all do our parts, big and small.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Have a beautiful day.
Love SMD’s Momma
Thank you! Yes I can’t believe the amount of litter sometimes. It is so easy to wait and find a trash can. Thank you for doing your part to help!
absolutely why you were there! my late grandfather was a Vietnam pow and my other late grandfather was in pearl harbor, so i am sensitive like you, too, to these things.
They deserve so much honor and respect for what they gave no marker should be covered.
You are one of a kind Kerry. You are seriously the amazing woman I have never met. What you did for that fallen solider was honorable and so inspiring. I love that you keep doing this. And I always love looking forward to reading your stories.
Thank you so much! I think he deserved a little attention for all he gave to this country. Time well spent.
I love this, friend. 🙂 I think about this a lot since my dad died. He wasn’t in any armed forces or anything like that, but, I would hope that someone would have a kind enough heart to do this if we weren’t around anymore for whatever reason. It’s sad to go to a cemetery and see ANYONE’S marker looking lonely, dirty, etc.
When it comes to those who serve… they don’t get nearly enough respect. They risk their lives so that we can go on living ours the way we enjoy. What a wonderful way to pay tribute. 🙂
Thank you! Yes, every marker should be kept nice regardless if it from a family member or grounds keeping. Those who serve have a piece of my heart so I was glad to give back even if just a little.
It always makes me sad when I’m at a cemetery and see grave stones that are covered up and messy. Such a great deed you did by cleaning up that veteran’s stone!
-Sharon
It is sad, they deserve better. I’m thinking it was the rough winter. Or at least that’s what I’m hoping.
Maybe he has no one left in the area to take care of that. So glad you did.
xoxo
That is what I am hoping or with the rough winter they couldn’t get out there.
Wow – what a great act of kindness this week. So sad that that special Veteran’s grave has almost been “forgotten.”
I hope it’s just that his family isn’t around. At least I was able to make it visible again.
You honestly have one of the kindest hearts out there – such a special woman!! I always shed a tear when the national anthem is played.
Thank you so much. It is just such a powerful song and so much meaning behind it, hard not to cry.
You are one of a kind! There needs to be more people like you in the world!
I hope that by sharing it gives people some ideas of things they can do. Thank you.
That’s really touching! Sad to know his plaque was almost lost in the grass but so good to know you served a great purpose 😉
Yes, right place at the right time. So glad I could do it.
Love this! It makes me so happy that you thought to do this out of respect for people who are gone and for their families you don’t even know! And not to mention, it helps out the people responsible for upkeep at the cemetery. You’re a winner all the way around, girl.
Very true! Thank you, I really just wanted to be respectful and prevent the trash from going any further and causing any sadness.
You’re such a great person Kerry. I love this <3
Thank you. It really meant a lot to me to be able to help, and show him respect for all he gave.
This brought me to tears. You are an amazing person. And this was a great post. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you. I was just glad to be able to show him the respect he deserved.
Wow. That is so amazing of you to pick up the trash and stumble upon that grave. I think that random acts of kindness that require no money and all your own personal effort and time are the BEST ones. You are so inspiring! And sweet!
Thank you. Yes, free ones that only require effort and heart always mean more to me too. Thank you so much!
This touched my heart so much. You told us about this veteran and made sure he was not forgotten. You were his hero. <3
Thank you. I was honored to be able to help and share so they are not forgotten.
I’m always amazed at the lack of respect so many people have these days for our National Anthem. One of the radio stations plays it at noon a lot of days and I always stand if I was sitting and take a couple of minutes to be grateful for the freedoms we have!
That is awesome. It really is so important and respectful to show support to those who gave their lives for our freedom.
I love this so much! You are so sweet to think of doing this. One of the things I love about where I live is how clean it is…people just don’t litter that much. I don’t know what it is that stops us, but I literally can’t imagine throwing garbage on the ground…it’s just so wrong! So sweet that you uncovered that veteran’s plaque. He deserves to be appreciated!
Yes, I think it was a barrel that got knocked over. I really hate when people litter. I was so glad to be able to clean up his plaque. It was an honor to be able to help.
Gosh, just when I think you couldn’t be any more inspiring, you continuously raise the bar! What an incredible thing to do –there was absolutely a higher power calling to you that day!
Thank you. I wanted to be lazy and do something else, something easy but it did call to me to do it. I couldn’t be happier that I did do it.
That’s awesome, Kerry. I know his family would appreciate knowing you did that. Good for you!
Thank you. I was so very happy to be able to show him some appreciation for his service.
I have an extreme respect for our veterans. Maybe because I have a degree in American Studies. I wish more people, like you, took a second to realize that our country is what it is because of the servicemen and women. This post really touched my heart. THANK YOU for doing something so sweet for a veteran.
Thank you! They are so important to what this country stands for and I was just so glad to show even one just a little bit of respect and time.
(So I read this on Thursday at the doctor but couldn’t comment bc phone commenting sucks!)
This is such a great idea! I mean, people get buried places all the time because that spot is important to them and over time, families might move away. That is so nice that you took a few minutes to tidy up his resting place. So kind and respectful. I love that this was a zero dollar act of kindness with such a huge reward to everyone reading about it!
Thank you. It just needed to be done. It didn’t take long but I know it was the right thing to do. His family could be gone or farther away and it was the least I could do for all he chose to do for our country.
Good job again! I think your final resting place should always been clean and beautiful, you did good making that happen.
Yes, it is important to be cared for even after life. Glad to show him some respect.