“I climbed up the door and opened the stairs, Said my Pajamas and put on my prayers.Then I turned off the bed and crawled into the light, All because YOU kissed me goodnight!” Author unknown

There is no doubt that the gift of love is the greatest gift of all time…When we meet and fall in love with our mate, love seems to be so effortless and palpable. That same love keeps growing and  then becomes the glue that keeps relationships together as the seasons of life come and go. SHOWING our love in acts of kindness and thoughtfulness goes a long way and brings so much beauty into  our lives. (This photo is my husband and I on our wedding day…wow, this was about 24years ago!)

My husband and I love a good murder mystery and our favorite program is Castle. Last night, the show was all about Castle, (a mystery writer) and his girlfriend Kate, who is a beautiful detective. For his birthday, she went out of her way, (a long with the help of many others who love Castle,) to bring him the most galactic and grand birthday surprise he would ever have.  They staged an entire hoax based upon Alfred Hitchcock’s  famous novella “Rear Window” in the apartment building across from his penthouse suite. (The setting was easily created as Castle broke his ankle on an exhilarating ski trip with Kate and  was laid up for weeks in his home, having to use crutches to get around.) (If you knew Castle, you’d know he would soon be up to “NO GOOD! 🙂

He was beyond bored and restless…unbeknownst to her dad,  his daughter brought out a couple pairs of binoculars with hopes he would begin looking through his neighbors windows to entertain himself in his melancholy and doldrums. The police department was made aware of what Kate was planing and all the actors played their part as Castle watched for days and really believed  a woman had been murdered. Just like the film, he saw what appeared to be a killing, a removal of the body and a ‘cleaning up’ of the bedroom. He tried to convince them all but they told him he was crazy. As he went to the ‘murdered woman’s’ building himself, now believing his girlfriend was in danger, (long story,) he breaks  down the front door and suddenly and unexpectedly, amidst the pitch black dark, a light went on and his police friends, Kate, his mom, daughter and all the actors, (yes even the allegedly dead woman,) said “SURPRISE” and “HAPPY BIRTHDAY.”

Okay, you are wondering why I shared this story? It took my husband and I aback as the love Kate had for Caste was so touching and she had gone out of her way for weeks to concoct such an event that he would remember the rest of his life, (being the mystery writer and absorbed, preoccupied  murder solver  that he was.) 🙂 Yes, (after getting his emotions in order,) he did  manage a big smile at the end as he was VERY TOUCHED by how much these people loved and cared for him to go to such extremes to bless his special day. This blog Category, “Acts of kindness mean everything,” is all about love and how in showing that love by our actions to our mates and family, we will create intimacy, blissfulness and bring forth  resplendence and grandeur to our  own lives.

What acts of kindness can you think of today?  Perhaps “playing dress up” with your precious little one, letting her wear your jewelry and drink some chocolate milk out of  one of your ‘fancy tea cups,’ putting on a formal dinner party for your husbands promotion at work, or leaving a rose,  an array of kaleidoscopic flowers, a new pillow or some thoughtful, Romantic touch for your wife to find after you have gone to work for the day?   Plan an outside luncheon for your best girlfriends, or take the dogs for a long walk down by the River walk…(for your pups, that is heaven,) kind of like going shopping at the mall for us ladies, or playing an afternoon game of golf for all you guys out there. Just watch and see the blissfulness, joy and smiles  that will come your way in your loving, thoughtful acts of kindness. 🙂