This holiday season, give the greatest gift of all: kindness.

​By Ria Patel

Artwork by Hallie Anderson

“A seed, a baby, a flea!” declared Reverend Bush (‘93) in her chapel speech earlier this month. She was describing an example of her favorite family game, one that resembled “reverse-categories.” The answer to this seemingly impossible riddle, you might ask? 

“Things that are small!” she declared.

Throughout her speech, she explained that however unimportant these small things seemed, each of them were capable of so much change. A seed can grow into a beautiful tree, a baby’s smile can brighten someone’s day and a tiny flea can make even the biggest dog itch all over. 

Rev Bush said making little changes in our everyday lives can change our St. Mary’s community as well. Personally, when someone gives me a simple compliment about my hair or my clothes or my personality on a rushed morning, my whole day turns around.

In the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, I took the liberty of compiling a list of five small ways that you can spread a little extra joy by doing the small things.

   1. Leave someone a sweet note in her locker.
Personalized, intimate and quick. That is all that goes into a note or card for it to be meaningful. Few people are aware of just how much one little inspirational note can completely turn around my day. The idea that someone took a little extra time out of her day to compliment me makes me smile no matter what.

   2. Put up those hymnals!
Rev Bush reminds us every Friday morning to put those hymnals back up on the chairs at the end of chapel, yet so many of us fail to follow her simple request. Placing the hymnals back on the chairs or rearranging the song sheets into the center aisle makes the church staff’s jobs so much easier.

   3. Placing fallen items back in backpacks!
This one is a general suggestion for everyone, but especially the junior class. If you notice something has fallen out of a fellow classmate’s backpack on the hook, save them a detention slip and place it back in.

   4. The Cookie Fairy!
Sure, high school students are a little old for the tooth fairy, but did you know that a mysterious cookie fairy roams the halls of St. Mary’s? She leaves cookies in lockers without a note and can easily turn around a bad morning. No cookies around? Maybe leave a coffee, or a morning bagel! Borrow the cookie fairy’s wings because let’s face it, a good chocolate chip cookie never hurt anyone.

Although a seed, a flea or a baby might not necessarily be the ideal surprise locker treat, I hope we can all try to brighten a fellow classmate’s day by doing the little things this holiday season!