keep tucson kind.

everywhere you go in tucson
you will see cars with
this sticker on the back:

love it.



so i did some research.


ben's bells is a community organization
that was started by a local family
who suddenly lost their child, ben.
apparently the mother, while mourning,
was touched by the simple kindness of strangers.
so she started ben's bells.






she created ceramic bells
to hang around tucson
to remind people to be kind
and the power kindness can have.

then i found out

that anyone can go to their studio

and help make ben's bells.

and since i have been dying

to paint ceramics,

i figured it was worth a trip.

and i was so right.

 when we got to the studio

they had us painting flowers

that would ultimately become

kindness coins.

the way kindness coins work:

if you witness someone being kind,

you would give them a kindness coin.

then they would pass that coin along

to someone else who has been kind. 

and so on.

i like the idea of having 

a physical reminder

to be kind.

because sometimes we forget.

and kindness really does 

have the ability to make 

so many things so much better. 

but it is the bells that are the most intriguing.

they are hung around tucson,

and if you find them 

you are supposed to take them home

and be reminded to always be kind.

nl, thanks for coming with me
and for this picture.