29

In our house, most weekday mornings involve the reading of the local newspaper at the breakfast table.  Noah and Will like poring over the hockey statistics (no surprise there!) and I like finding interesting stories (usually ones about fascinating science discoveries or people doing good deeds) to share and talk about with my boys.  Yesterday, a local teenager made my morning when I read about her wonderful idea to make the most of the extra day we all have this month.

Madi MacIntyre, a 17 year old high school student, was talking with her family about what to do with the leap day on February 29th when it dawned on her that having an extra day is not always a happy occasion for those who are sick, or lonely, or struggling in some way.  She decided to find ways to donate 29 of something every day in the month of February -- 29 dollars to a charity, 29 cans of food to the food bank, 29 minutes of time to someone who needs it, and so on -- and she's asking others to consider giving 29 of something in whatever way they can this month, too.  Her idea is selfless and inspiring, and it's incredible to think of the difference we could make in our communities if we all took 29 leaps.

The boys and I embraced this idea enthusiastically, and since we read Madi's story, we've been brainstorming ways in which we could contribute 29 of something ourselves.  Some of the possible good deeds we've thought of include bringing 29 homemade muffins to the boys' school for kids who haven't had breakfast, spending 29 minutes reading with younger children who are having difficulty at school, taking 29 minutes to make Valentines to mail to the boys' great-grandmas, and making 29 more cat toys to bring to the local animal shelter.  I look forward to hearing what other ideas the boys come up with this month, and to working with them to complete as many of these acts of kindness as we can.

It's teenagers like Madi who make me feel very hopeful about the future of our world.  If you would like to learn more about Madi's movement, or are considering taking 29 leaps of your own, you can visit her website at www.29leaps.com .  Pass it on -- by sharing and participating in this lovely idea, together we can fill many hearts with joy this month.