Go Fly A Kite!

Every nice day in the summer, I enjoy pausing for a break in my work and looking out my office window.

On a good day, I get an added piece of enjoyment. If I scan the skyline right at the edge of the river I can often find 2 large kites dancing in the sky. Always the same 2, always in the same spot. They are bright and colourful and you just can't help but smile when you see them.

One day last summer curiosity got the better of me, and I trekked down to the shoreline to see exactly what was going on. Was it a company with a new way to draw people in? A couple of kids dedicated to spending their summer flying kites?

I walked along in the direction of the kites until I found the strings of them, tied tightly to the railing on the waters edge. No gimmicks, just 2 kites tied to the railing. Even more curious now, I scanned around the area to see who these toys belonged to. Coming to a shady spot I saw 2 older gentleman obviously settled in for the day under the shade of a tree. They smiled knowingly at me, and I could tell right away they were the keepers of the kites.

I decided I really couldn't resist, and walked over to them hoping for an explanation of why these kites were there. Seeing my interest they said hello and gave me a very welcoming smile.

When I questioned the purpose of the kites, they gave me another knowing smile, then launched into a story about how they had purchased them in the United States and how they enjoyed the way they looked when they were flying them for fun.

They explained how seeing them up there made them happy, and how flying them was a great reason to get together and shoot the breeze and pass the days of their retirement. Apparently one lazy day, they decided they'd do an experiment. They'd tie these kites to the posts in a busy spot, and see how many people they could make happy, and how many new people they could meet this way.

I made sure to tell them how much I looked forward to seeing the kites flying each day, and how they could be seen even as far as our building. It was a great, but brief, exchange.

As I walked away I thought about what a great thing they were doing. They expected nothing in return. In fact, their greatest joy was watching the faces of the passerby's, hanging out with friends, and meeting new people to talk to.

It made me wonder, what had I done lately just for the sake of making someone smile or meeting someone new? What about you? What have you done?

Every time I see the kites these days, I remind myself that each day is here for the enjoyment, and I should constantly be striving to make someone else smile, or gain new experience through new people. What a great lesson.

So, when you're having a challenging day, or just need a new adventure, my suggestion is to go pick a busy spot, and fly a kite!