Week 24: Helping Hands at Mitten Fest

My good friend BJ owns a little bar called Burnhearts in Bay View on Milwaukee's South Side. No matter where you live, if you like beer, you've probably heard of it. 

It's made many a Thrillist (including Best Beer Bar), was called out by the New York Times as a must-stop if you visit Milwaukee, and even Draft Magazine put it on their top 100 bar list! 

And while that's all most certainly true, the fact about Burnhearts that carries the most weight with me is the kind heart of my friend, it's owner, Mr. Seidel (standing next to me in the photo below). 

Not all business owners would place importance on raising awareness, money, and collecting food donations when running a street festival, but that's just what my buddy has done. And I'm not talking small potatoes.

I'm talking almost $3,000 and 5,000 pounds of food raised in 2019, a record I expect was crushed this weekend (we're still waiting on final tallies).

This week's Kindness Countdown activity was a no-brainer: I donated food to the Hunger Task Force, and I made cookies for my friend Biju working the stage, the bands that played, and my friends and I who are spoiled enough to hang out in the spacious stage tent (Mitten Fest gets quite crowded).

A great time was had by all! Lots of cute winter attire was worn, people purchased amazing food truck eats, and it's Milwaukee so duh, loads of beer was consumed. All responsibly, I hope.

I'm already looking forward to next year. Be sure to join in the fun!

Week 23: Spreading Caffeine and Good Cheer

I loved week 23's act of kindness because it was truly random and unintentional.

I arrived a bit early to a morning coffee meeting with a fellow real estate agent mid-last week and as I was waiting in line, a man walked out of the snow, approached me and asked if I'd give him a few dollars for a cup of coffee. 

"Yes, no problem," I said. 

I added his drink onto my bill and then we chatted for a few minutes while we waited for our orders to come up. He told me he was heading back to Milwaukee on the bus. 

He got quiet and eyed the floor. 

I asked if he needed a few more dollars for bus fare, which he sheepishly accepted.

And then he thanked me, we wished each other a great day, and he walked out the door towards the bus stop. 

And that was that. <3

PS - Can you believe this little project of mine is already half over?!?!

Week 22: Friends Life Donation

This weekend, I made a donation to Friends Life Community in memory of my dear cousin Brandon who passed away from brain cancer last week.

Friends Life Community began in  2008 when four families with adult children with developmental disabilities decided to regularly meet in a church basement for an afternoon program. Within a few years, their program grew to meet the needs of over 40 participants and they established a permanent habitation program in Nashville.

Their mission is "to create an opportunity for teenagers and adults with disabilities to develop socially, grow personally, and enjoy community as they experience life together."

And I can tell you from experience, they do just that.

I was able to see the smile on my cousin Brandon's face as he returned home a few times from the day program: he was happy and fulfilled, having spent time with nice people doing new things.

The people at Friends Life Community welcomed my cousin with open arms as his abilities became impaired due to the disease. They treated him as one of their own, provided fun experiences, and showed him grace and acceptance.

I will forever be grateful for the love and care they showed my buddy, my cousin, my newest angel watching over me.

If you'd like to make a donation to this worthy organization, visit friendslife.org today.

Week 21: Closing Cards

I LOVE being a realtor in the Milwaukee area.

I enjoy seeing inside so many houses, I appreciate spending time in different neighborhoods and learning what each community has to offer, and I feel fortunate to help people sell their houses and beyond blessed that I get to help them find the home lifelong memories will be made in!

Because of those feelings, after each close, I take a portion of my payment and give it away.

This time, it was at my local Aldi.

I bought a few gift cards earlier in the week when I was in picking up a few things and had intended to distribute them the next day. But the week got away from me, as it so often does.

Finally, on Friday, after picking my daughter up, we swung by and handed out the gift cards to some very friendly people.

I had walked into the store feeling tense and a little crabby after a stressful week.

But after giving away the cards, hugging strangers (the sweetest mom of 3 with a gorgeous baby girl!), connecting with new people (a quirky elderly man reading the labels of the spice jars with a magnifying glass), I walked out smiling as I told my daughter, "There, now I feel a whole lot better!"

The more you give, the more you get.

Every. Single. Time.

Week 20: Street Corner Care Packages

Although my family lives in a quaint, historic town 30 minutes north of Milwaukee, we are in the city 1-3 times a week...and are fortunate to visit Chicago once a month. 

I love our simple, small town living, but tend to feel claustrophobic if I don't get a change of scenery often enough, so we regularly head south to run errands, meet up with family and friends, for client meetings, to catch a great bite to eat or see a play or concert.

I think it's incredibly important for my children to get out of the bubble of our daily lives, to see how others live, to talk with people from different walks of life, to smile with them, laugh with them, talk to them about music and art and sports teams...to learn compassion and empathy and how important it is to take a minute to think things through before judging someone's choices.

And they do. And because of this, they've asked some thoughtful questions about the homeless people they've met over the years. 

I'd be lying if I said answering those questions wasn't on the list of most difficult, meaningful, and thought-provoking conversations we've had. 

But we've had them, and we're better for it.

I am not saying it isn't hard.

I'm not saying it isn't confusing.

I definitely wouldn't say I have all the answers. 

I don't know why some people choose to live this way. I don't understand how some people see these human beings as less than. I cannot comprehend how each of them didn't have someone who loved them step in at some point earlier in the road and lend a hand. And I can't fathom what it would be like to love someone living a life on the streets. 

But I do know that there are some things I can do to help. And this week my children and I did one of them...we assembled care packages to keep on hand to give to the homeless friends we make going forward. 

I plan on making some changes for the packages in the summer, to include sunscreen, a larger water bottle, etc, but since it's winter in Wisconsin, the sets we put together this week include:

• A winter hat
• Fleece gloves
• New socks
• A comb
• Water
• Applesauce
• Peanut butter crackers
• Mints
• Chicken Soup for the Soul book full of hopeful and loving messages

I pray these are a blessing to the recipients and that they encourage my family to think of other ways to help and love more deeply. 

xo,

Shannon

Week 19: Happy (Hectic) Holidays

I am not someone who usually leaves things until the last minute; I prefer to work ahead whenever possible to free up time for unexpected fun opportunities. 

But even the best intentions don't always pave a smooth path. For example, sometimes the flu hits you like a ton of bricks and you find yourself in bed for a week just before Christmas. 

This is not a hypothetical situation, I know this from experience.

I found myself shopping with the last-minute masses the three days before Christmas last week. I visited the mall, I drove a few town over to large collection of big box stores, and I hit up some small shops in my town (one of them is the cute toy store in the photo above!). Each store was crazy busy, full of frustrated people waiting in lines, trying to cross off the last few items on their shopping lists. 

Every morning, just before I headed out, I'd jokingly say to my family "I hope you don't see me on the news!" and then I'd enter the chaos, wearing a smile like armor against the overcrowded crabbiness.

I set out determined to hold open every door a bit longer, chit-chat and compliment each store employee I saw, give extra smiles to parents with young children, and spend a few extra minutes talking with elderly patrons. 

And guess what! It worked!

My experiences those few days, despite still being a bit worn down from my illness, were positive and I returned home each afternoon feeling happy and grateful. Not because I didn't experience unfortunate situations and encounter rude people, but because I was intentional with my attitude and stubborn to spread some cheer. (And oh boy can I ever be stubborn ;)

One of my goals for the new year is to carry this attitude into the new year, to choose kindness each day, and to set out to spread it wherever I go. 

Happy New Year, everyone!

Week 18: A Sweet Tradition

For the past 15+ years, I've distributed dozens of candy canes each December.

It's one of our family's favorite holiday traditions because it's a chance to slow down during the hustle and bustle and connect with people, to put smiles on faces of strangers who may seem a bit stressed trying to juggle work, party prep, financial strains, and all the emotions that come at the end of the December.

My children have taken on an increasingly larger role with this project over the years, from their tiny mittens helping to hand the candy canes out to now having a big say in where, when, and who we hand them out to. But never as big of a role as this past week.

I put this year's batch together, and as always, was too excited to wait for our plan; I took a handful with me as I left the house to run errands. And it's a good thing I did or I wouldn't have participated in the tradition at all this year...a couple of days later I became a cold and flu season statistic.

My kids stepped up in a big way, working hard not only around the house to help get ready to host Christmas and care for their ailing mother, but to hand the rest of the candy canes out. They went for a walk in town and hung the rest of the little red and white swirled staffs on cars visiting our touristy town for the Christmas celebrations we throw each weekend.

They even sent me pictures for the blog!

Hanukkah has begun, Christmas celebrations begin later today, and the New Year is just around the corner.

I hope that whatever and however you're celebrating, the lights are only dimmed by the smiles around you, the food and drinks are tasty, and your heart is full of love. Actually, I hope it's overflowing with love...so you have some to share with those all around you!

Happy Holidays!