Cherry Blossom Soup

In the spirit of Amy Krouse Rosenthal's work,16 bloggers set out to "Plant a Kiss" in the world on April 29. We each did something we thought would spread a little extra joy, color, connection, poetry, or magic in the world. Then we watched to see what would happen!

Today all of us are posting about that experience. My thoughts are below. Click here to visit the Plant a Kiss page, where you can link to all participating bloggers.  For every blog you visit and comment on, your name will be tossed into a hat for a chance to win one of many amazing prizes such as online writing, photography, or dream-building classes; coaching sessions; artwork; or jewelry.

Plant a Yes

The clock is ticking and I’ve got to write a post about Plant a Kiss Day. But where to start?

I could write about the awesome Bubble Flash Mob we organized here in San Francisco that still has me giddy from all that sunshine, happy strangers, and bubbles of all shapes and sizes. I could write about how much it means to me to be connected to these 15 other spirited women writers whom I admire and am inspired by. I could write about the pure joy of helping promote Amy Krouse Rosenthal, who has given so freely of her creativity and zest for life. I could write about how tickled I’ve been at every tweet or Facebook post in which I see some stranger talking about how they celebrated Plant a Kiss Day, a holiday that didn’t even exist a month ago.

But I think the story that really wants to be told is what it means to pay attention to the places inside of us that shout, or sometimes simply whisper, yes.

Plant a Kiss Day, for me, has been about that yes. Over and over again.

A couple months ago, I happened to read somewhere that Amy Krouse Rosenthal was looking for some folks who might be willing to help promote her new book, Plant a Kiss.

Raising my hand for this was a no brainer. I've been a big fan of Amy's ever since I read Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life and then discovered her inspiring missions in the world, joyful gatherings, and moving short films. I love Amy’s down-to-earth, quirky style. This seemed like a great chance to give back to someone who’s got great juju and who serves in so many ways.

When Amy’s book arrived in the mail, I was delighted by the simplicity and whimsy. I loved the message of planting something good and sharing it with others. But … the truth is, I didn’t really know how I could help Amy promote her book. Writing a blog post or posting on Facebook were possibilities, but they seemed so uninspired. So, not knowing what to do, I set the book aside and hoped that inspiration would drop in.

Weeks passed. And whenever I saw the book on my shelf, I would feel a little guilty. Why wasn’t I doing anything to promote her book like I promised?

And then, seemingly out of nowhere, one day, the idea dropped in: Plant a Kiss Day. I could create a day inspired by Amy’s book, get some great bloggers to celebrate that day, and then have a blog party in which we share what we experienced. This wasn’t something I thought up. It was just an idea given to me by life. It was this tiny moving Ferris wheel in my chest. 

I was nervous to ask Amy about the idea, but I did.

And she said, “Yes.” And from there, from responding to that one quiet little idea that dropped in, a whole avalanche of yesses happened.

• It turned out that Amy's birthday was around the corner, on 4/29 — what a perfect day for the event! Yes!
• My niece and I love flash mobs — what about a Plant a Kiss Bubble Flash Mob?  Yes! Yes!
• All the great bloggers I invited to participate said, sure!
• All the folks we asked to publicize the event said you bet!
• I asked my beau to be the bubble man, making big bubbles in the park. "Of course!"

In the very short amount of time between when that little idea dropped in until now, it feels like the yesses just kept piling up. With each yes, it felt like my spirit got more and more buoyed. Not only was I feeling that little Ferris wheel in me, I was riding it, round and round, with glee.

At one point yesterday, I was standing in the midst of a crowd of really happy people at the Plant a Kiss Bubble Flash Mob, and a cameraman for the local news pulled me aside to interview me. After the interview, he said, “I want to thank you for this. Most of the time I am sent on assignments that are really grim and depressing. It feels so good to be able to cover something that brings such joy in the world.” And all I could say was, “Yes, yes, yes.”

Our days are fleeting. It is easy to get caught up in everyday routines and feel like one day is just like the next. But when we listen to those yesses inside us, when we let ourselves follow their luminescent threads, it changes everything. It’s like someone planted a kiss inside us and we breathe into it, making it grow.

Note, if you aren't able to leave a comment on this blog because you don't have a Facebook account, simply email your comment to me and I'll post it for you. And of course that will count toward the drawing!

Plant a Kiss Day was created to celebrate the message and spirit behind Amy Krouse Rosenthal's work and the whimsical book she created, Plant a Kiss, which is beautifully illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. "In this gentle tale about hope, kindness, and sharing, see how one small acts blooms into something grander than anyone ever could have imagined." Plant a Kiss is not just for kids; it's the little bit of magic and hope we all long for, no matter what our age. Order the book on Amazon.

Images © Amy Krouse Rosenthal/Peter H. Reynolds & © Can Stock Photo Inc./jadimages