Instead of staying angry and feeling hopeless about what happened in Boston, I’m going to try something else. At least two dozen people were injured, so I’m going to spend the next 24 hours doing 24 things that make the world a little bit better in their honor. It’s definitely not much, but it’s something.

1. Make someone laugh
2. Give someone who is having a bad day a cookie. Never underestimate the power of a small act…or a cookie.
3. Volunteer for Uncovered Artistry
4. Reach out to an old friend
5. Thank someone for doing a good job
6. Donate to a good cause, like my sister’s Heel Violence event
7. Stop for all pedestrians (I should be doing this anyway!)
8. Smile at everyone who I pass on the street during a run
9. Send my host mom an unexpected email in Italian
10. Surprise a loved one with a gift for no reason
11. Offer help at work, even if I’m busy
12. Stop complaining about the weather…and start being thankful for it
13. Pray
14. Get over any grudges I’m still holding on to
15. Listen, really listen, to how someone’s day is going
16. Share a Paulo Coehlo quote: “The enemy is only a pretext to test our strength”
17. Donate old, long unread books to the local library
18. Let someone go in front of me in line, or let a car in while driving
19. Write a letter to an old professor, thanking them for how much they’ve done for me
20. Donate extra clothes to GoodWill
21. Give a friend a hug
22. Help my friends move into their apartments
23. Smile twice as much
24. Be thankful for all that I have

-Sarah