With all the social distancing going on, we need to remember some people may be very lonely. Social distancing can affect all of us, but can be especially hard on those who live alone or are in nursing homes and cannot have visitors. So, when I came across a day dedicated to cheering up the lonely, I thought what a great idea.
This special day was founded by a man from Michigan named Francis Pesek. His daughter, L.J. Pesek said he “was a quiet, kind, wonderful man who had a heart of gold. The idea came to him as a way of promoting kindness toward others who were lonely or forgotten as shut-ins or in nursing homes.” Cheer Up the Lonely Day is observed on July 11th, which also happened to be Mr. Pesek’s Birthday.
So, if you know someone lonely or going through a rough time, remember on July 11th to reach out to those people who may need some extra love and attention. You never know when one small act of kindness can make a huge difference in someone’s life. It’s always better to reach out in person, face to face, but during these social distancing times it may not be possible, so you may have to be creative.
Here are some ideas to celebrate this day:
Give someone a call (or even Zoom, FaceTime, etc….);
Send someone a card or letter;
Make someone their favorite meal and deliver it to them;
Take a walk outside with someone; and
Email or text a funny joke to someone to cheer them up and make them laugh.
There are many ways to reach out to people and let them know you are thinking of them. So, don’t forget on July 11th to reach out to someone and let them know how much you care.
;)
