The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: Day 006

Sunday, February 6, 2021

Recipient: 
Steam Espresso Bar, Platt Park, Denver

Sometimes, it is 7:15 PM Mountain Time in Denver, Colorado. One decides it is a beautiful night for a stroll. One dons one's 56 layers of clothing and wanders around one's neighborhood.

And sometimes, one realizes one is alone in the world. 

The streets are entirely bereft of passing strangers.

But take heart! There is a local coffee shop with a warm and friendly staff who serves up delicious caffeinated beverages. Sometimes, when one is lucky, the local coffee shop has not run out of custard tarts when one arrives, and one can contemplate how fortunate one is to finally understand what Lionel from As Time Goes By was on about.* 

And one decides that the existence of the local coffee shop and its staff is a good enough reason for a BRIGHT SPOT Award.

Sometimes, it is 7:15 PM Mountain Time and the local coffee shop has been closed for more than four hours.

One is not deterred by such insignificant details.

One stands in the light of the street lamp, scribbles the name of the local coffee shop on an already-filled-out slip of cardstock, pops it through the mail slot in the door, and then hurries away.

Notes:

* Wikipedia: As Time Goes By (British TV Series)

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: Day 005

Sunday, February 7, 2021

Recipient: 
Mike R., Platt Park, Denver

This is the view from my writing desk.

Do you see a red brick building with a tower off in the distance? Above and to the left of my neighbor’s skylight? I have often looked out the window and wondered what it could be. On this day my wondering coincided with Mike being in the room.

I pointed. “Do you know what that building is?”
“No, I don’t.” He paused. “Wanna find out?”
Definitely, YES.

Fifteen minutes later Henry (my trusty first-gen Scion xB) was zig-zagging through Denver with me at the wheel and Mike calling out directions to best the red line he had plotted on Google Maps in the general direction of our the tower, which we reached quite easily.

I ignored the “No Trespassing” signs and parked in a nearly empty lot so we could take some pictures.

Then we ducked back into the car to get out of the wind and search the internet for more information.

Evidently, we were standing on the former campus of Loretto Heights College. The 1890 structure I could see from my window started out as the college’s administration building. (Fun fact: The guy who designed it – Frank Edbrooke – was the same guy who designed The Brown Palace and a bunch of other landmark buildings in Denver.) It has been empty since 2017 when its most recent tenant, Colorado Heights University, shut its doors. It was purchased by a development company in 2018 who says it intends to reuse the existing structures. I certainly hope so.

We capped off our afternoon with a visit to Panera for some mac and cheese and one of the best views of the mountains.

My original intention was to only give out BRIGHT SPOT Awards to strangers. That was the point, right? Talk to people in passing, share my gratitude, spread a little love. Using a candidate pool populated with family, friends and acquaintances would feel like cheating because it would be too easy; those folks make me smile all the time.

 

But c’mon. This was too good. My sweetheart won the day fair and square because instead of shrugging his shoulders and letting the spark of curiosity fade from his mind, he was game for following the trail wherever it led.

Thought:

Be like Bilbo: If such an opportunity presents itself, get out of your chair, walk out the door of your Hobbit hole, and go on an adventure.

 

Additional reading on Loretto Heights:

Regis Magazine: A Last Look at Loretto Heights College

Historic Denver: Loretto Heights - What's Next?

Denver Post: Denver wants southwest residents to weigh in on Loretto Heights’ future as redevelopment looms

Denverite: What’s new at Loretto Heights? Potentially a crucial vote on when to start the project.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: Day 004

Saturday, February 6, 2021

Recipient: 
Mark, the whistling mail carrier, Platt Park, Denver

I was out for a walk with my sweetheart Mike today when I heard a wonderfully robust whistle coming from who knows where. Turns out it was a mail carrier, walking from house to house, whistling a tune I couldn’t identify but could hear from a block away.

My whistling is wispy and unimpressive, so it tickles me pink to hear someone who’s got the goods.

I hurried to catch up with him as Mike, accustomed to this sort of behavior from me, trailed behind. The purveyor of post took out his earbuds to listen as I asked his name and explained what I was up to and why. Mark told us he was listening to a live (authorized) recording of an Elton John concert he had actually attended a few years back. We were catching him whistling along to “Bennie and the Jets” and reliving a good memory. We thanked him for his time and the entertainment, and he returned to his route and his music.

Bonus:

The person who created the “Private Eyes” sign, Platt Park, Denver

We passed this on our return trip. Having had a poster of this image on my bedroom wall as a tween (Darryl Hall was so dreamy), it immediately caught my attention. Reading the text caused me an out-loud cackle-snort and I had to leave an award in the mailbox. As it turns out, the people were just exiting as I turned toward their house. The woman was quite pleased that we enjoyed the parody. “My husband said nobody would get it!” Madam, we most certainly did. 

Thoughts:
Moments of connection are out there, little miracles waiting to happen.
A spoonful of humor helps the message go down.

 

 

  

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: Day 003

Friday, February 5, 2021

Recipient: 
Suzette @ IKEA Bistro, Centennial

Today’s recipient was whipping up cones and doling out cinnamon buns at the little bistro at IKEA, where I went in search of tea lights and taper candles.

Cashiers and sales associates hold a special place in my heart. Working in the service industry exposes you to treatment that can range from neglectful to disdainful to abusive, as if customers forget that they’re standing in front of a human being who has a story and has value. When the person at the counter still greets you with a warm smile while the line is five deep on either end, that person deserves an award.

I would have liked to have taken her picture. 

I would have liked to have asked her about her story.

Alas, while well-intentioned, doing so would have caused her delays and made her job more difficult. So I placed my order, handed her the slip of cardstock, and moved on.

Thoughts:

It’s not about me.

Sometimes a picture of the parking garage is the best you can do.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: Day 002

Thursday, February 4, 2021

Recipient: 
Unknown neighbor with ceramic bird, Platt Park

Second day, first conundrum:

There are days when I don’t leave the house.

(Yes, it’s a terrible idea. Extroverts make lousy hermits.)

Now I’ve got to walk out the door and find a stranger. I put on thirty-six layers to go for a chilly stroll in my neighborhood. Where I do not pass one. single. living. soul.

I do, however, pass a little aqua ceramic bird someone has affixed to a platform under a tree and which I have admired on other walks. I grab that bit of cardstock and write on it an additional note:

Every time I pass your little bird, it gives me a smile!

Now, where do I leave the note? On the platform, under a stone so it won’t blow away? What if there's snow and it gets wrecked? Will the owner ever even see it? Maybe I can find the owner’s house and pop the note into their mailbox.

I settle upon the most likely candidate.

The house does not have a mailbox at a safe distance on their sidewalk, but a mail slot.

Which can only be accessed by walking up their front stairs to their front door.

Ohdear. In for a penny, in for a pound.

With note, best intentions, and all the nerve I can gather in hand, I pop that note into their mail slot and move away in my most nonchalant what-who-me-no-not-committing-a-crime-nothing-to-see-here-sort of manner.

Thoughts:
When the going gets tough, the tough get creative.
A bright spot can be a person, place, or thing. Just like a noun.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: Day 001

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Recipient(s): 
Alex and Allie at Starbucks / King Soopers, University

My intention was to use my Starbucks reward points to get a beverage and then buy a breakfast sandwich. I gave my order for a bacon gouda sandwich and the most expensive coffee drink I could cobble together in a size that wouldn’t make me ill to consume. Alex and Allie then let me know about a special they had going – free drink with any breakfast sandwich! They helped me save points and provided friendly service. Win-win.

I handed them the award. Well, it was a slip of cardstock hand-stamped with a design I created myself and the following sentiment written inside:

Thank you for being a bright spot in my day.
Wishing you all good things,
Michelle

Thoughts:
Momentum rocks! The day I had the idea was the same day I handed out my first award. It’s a good start.
Even a little gesture can make a big impact.
Cultivating an appreciation for small joys opens up innumerable opportunities for happiness.

Introducing The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: A 100-Day Challenge

 

Have you ever heard yourself think something sooooooo many times that you felt like telling yourself to stuff a sock in it?
 
I arrived at that peevish place with myself recently. 

The irritating bit of mental grit was this:
“I love talking to strangers.”
 
Well, duh.
I know that.
Everyone – anyone – who has known me for five minutes could tell you that.
And I have known for a long, long time that not only do I want to have those experiences, but I also want to share those experiences with other people via some artistic project.
 
So when those words happily ambled through my cerebrum for the umpteen-trillionth time, I’d had it.
 
“Oh, this again. ‘I love talking to strangers, blah blah blah.’ I’m sick of hearing it. So WHAT? What are you going to DO about it?”
 
[cue lightning strike]
 
I decided to give myself a challenge:
For 100 days, if a stranger did anything (directly or indirectly) that made me smile I would give them a little handwritten note thanking them for being a bright spot in my day.
 
“It’s got talking to strangers, it’s got gratitude, it’s got paper arts – three of my favorite things. Perfect! Right up my alley!”
 
Naturally, everything went very smoothly from there. I handed out one award every single day, I made scrupulously detailed notes, and I promptly posted those findings on this here blog.
 
[cue crickets]
 
What, no takers?
…
 
Fine. That’s not quite what happened.
My intention going forward is to write some catch-up posts to document my experiences up to this point.
Stay tuned!