Yesterday was my birthday, and I wanted to be sure to be really intentional about how I celebrated this year: by spreading joy in as many ways as possible. I’ll share more soon about the amazing fun I had with friends & family to continue the celebrations! I am so, so incredibly blessed and thankful for the people in my life, and wanted to ensure others felt loved, too! Just because it is my birthday doesn’t mean it has to be all about me. I mulled over a couple ideas for how to give back/spread joy/have a slightly less selfish birthday celebration, and it was fun thinking through various ways to do this (my friend Julie’s birthday celebration was a big inspiration!).

I mailed 28 handwritten cards to family and friends across the country (since I turned 28!), letting them know how much they mean to me, how much I love them, and how they’ve inspired me. It was so special to send a letter to so many of the people who mean the most to me. I also included an insert with the card asking them, should they like to, to join me in initiating an act of kindness on March 2nd (my actual birthday). Since so many of my closest family and friends don’t live near me in DC, I wanted to celebrate them (from afar!) in a little way and extend the invitation to spread joy in any way that they choose.

I also emailed the same letter and information to 28 local friends here in DC – double the amount of joy spread, I hope!

The full text of the insert:

I had several friends and family text me pictures, share with my how they participated. Y’all, I was BLOWN AWAY and moved to tears so many times throughout the day!!! Seriously amazing to see how the Lord works in our lives and how kindness can spread like kudzu (or, as my friend Leslie said, “throw kindness like confetti, right?”). Flowers were left on doorsteps, grandparents were called, payments were secretly paid in full, notes were left around town, money was left in favorite books of mine in a bookstore, drinks were paid for in line, muffins were baked for teachers, homeless people were talked to and treated to lunch, books were donated to classrooms in need… and so, so much more. Infectious, I tell you! I was deeply touched and pretty darn ecstatic to hear about all of this. Tis so, so much better to give than to receive!

As Mother Teresa so wisely said, “Spread love wherever you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”