No, seriously. You’ll never guess, so I’ll tell you:
I went to the post office to get my mail the day before my birthday and there was this package from India. Inside were 20 drawings from children who live in a children’s home in India. They are sent to this particular school because their families live too far away for them to attend school. So at Bethany Children’s Home in Madurai, India, these children can attend school and have access to food, water and better shelter.
As per the note that accompanied it from their teacher/priest, they apparently found my art while surfing the internet for artists and found my works inspirational. The kids then each made me a beautiful piece of art.
Art from the children at Bethany Children’s Home in Madurai, India http://maduraibethany.org
I was so surprised and felt so blessed that these kids would take their time and energy to reach out across the Pacific to send something to me. In response, I mailed them one of my comic books, a long note, and some decals. I thought that would be it for this chance encounter.
But, on a day when I was particularly feeling gloom about something or another, I then received yet another package from the children at Bethany’s Children Home. This time it was 20 palm leaf bookmarks:
20 palm leaf bookmarks with the following text: Front: Have a nice day. Back: Sara Zimmerman
I mean, you couldn’t make up something better than that. “Have a nice day, Sara Zimmerman.” How cool is that? I just love how the universe conspires to make it so that I can’t stay feeling down for too long. I mean, here I am, this total stranger who has access to fresh water, clean air, good education, and so many other wonderful opportunities, being picked up out of my own vortex of self-defeating thoughts from a land thousands of miles away by these beautiful little beings who survive with only the basics. That is when I realized that the universe is just going to prove me wrong on any days of doubt.
I followed up with an email to their teacher/priest assuming that our transactions were finalized, thanking them profusely for their efforts and kindness. Yet, a couple weeks later, I received another package. Inside was an incredibly stunning rendition of one of my artworks done completely in collage from magazines.
This is the collage of “Friendship” the children made from ripped up pieces of magazines. Look how detailed the work is!
My original artwork called “Friendship”
Can you see how much detail they included in their efforts! It is so close to the original and their piece is so beautiful!
I’ve received a few lessons from the kindness of these wonderful strangers:
- The world has some really nice people in it, despite what the headlines tell us.
- You can never know how things will work in this world and just have to surrender that some things are out of anyone’s control. In doing so, there is a good chance amazing things can happen.
- You never know what effect all of your actions will have, particularly having an internet presence. So, just put your best work and energy out and you might just make a difference in at least one person’s world.
One little effort can have a huge effect.
Learn more about this beautiful school and Bethany Children’s Home in Madurai, India: http://maduraibethany.org/