Instead, he took note of the fact that I’d already scooped up the day’s mail, acknowledged that I wouldn’t be looking in the box again until four days hence, and took the time to ring the doorbell and personally hand-deliver the envelope. “I noticed you’d already grabbed the mail, so I just thought I’d give this to you,” he said.

I glanced at the envelope and suddenly felt a well of gratitude. It was a gift card from Auntie Sylvie – and it was addressed to my daughter, who would be celebrating her birthday before the long weekend was through.

I told him about the special occasion. “She wouldn’t have gotten this in time for her birthday. I really appreciate that,” I explained. Nice way to start off what was truly a glorious-weather, party-filled weekend – with an exuberant birthday girl who has a generous aunt… and a dedicated mailman. As it happens, a fortunate combination.

Happy birthday to you, you belong in a zoo… (don’t they all? They’re fourteen.)

And we can thank the quick thinking of Michael Williams, who lives in Windsor, Ontario, for the ensuing rescue of the pair of ducklings. The two baby birds had been following their mom down the street when they accidentally fell into the drain. They panicked, then paddled away from daylight, making their odds of being saved awfully dicey.

Williams immediately called the municipality for help. Then he searched for a Blackberry app for duck calls. Using his smartphone, Williams was able to entice the ducklings to return to the open reservoir, where a city worker could fish them out with a net.

Happy ending. And hopefully these two duck daredevils have learned that running away from home is not all it’s quacked up to be (with apologies).

Why reach out this way? “I hope that projects, blogs, missions like this all do their bit in making this world a slightly nicer place to be a part of!” FHG says. And why, you may wonder, has our friend opted to remain incognito as he dishes out favours, gratis? He insists he has nothing to hide, but explains: “I felt I would be more accessible to people if I was anonymous… I think if people don’t have a name, face and identity to go by, then no preconceptions can cloud their judgment of my offer of free help.” He sincerely believes he makes a more open and honest connection with people without the pesky static of extra details – like names.

“If my journey can be inspiring to anyone,” FHG adds, “then I want that inspiration to come from the act of giving, rather than the person behind it.” He’s doing something right. Our pal is currently working on project number 15… not bad, considering he started in February.

Hey, anyone whose tagline is “for the next six months I’m going to make your life better” has got my support.

I have the strangest feeling I’ve seen this guy somewhere before…

The nurse took her in. She must have thought, Why not? Her adult daughter was moving back home with a newborn baby boy, so any concept of empty-nesting had already, well, flown the coop.

Sadly, the Nigerian mom’s cancer proved incurable. But as her health declined over the next two years, the nurse only became closer to this tiny family, until any boundaries between her blood and theirs pretty much melted away.

By the time the young refugee was on her deathbed, there was no question in the nurse’s mind. She formally asked if she could adopt the little girl, now six, and raise her as her own after her biological mother was gone. Legal experts were brought in, a will was prepared, papers were signed. Then, a year ago, this little girl from Nigeria became the nurse’s very own child to raise.

Today the girl is seven years old, beautiful and thriving. She calls the nurse “Mommy”; she and her adoptive-mom’s-biological-daughter’s-toddler-son are as thick as thieves. And she fits right into her new life. She’s backed by the entire department of oncology at the hospital, where doctors and nurses have pooled their money to pay for clothes and lessons.

So much can change in a small span of time. For this nurse, it began as a workplace encounter with a young woman who’d crossed the ocean with a tragic history. Now she has a daughter for life. I only spent a few minutes with this lady, but I have a feeling I’ll reflect on her story for a long time to come.

Do these beautiful flowers have anything to do with today’s post? I’m sure there’s a metaphor somewhere. I do love spring.

Of course I want my daughter to grow up to be a truthful person, one who is fair and forthright, who lives and works with integrity. I’m not suggesting she go out of her way to be disingenuous.

But there are occasions when honesty is not necessarily the advised course of action. Certainly not when someone asks prying questions, like your age or your income. You have a right to silence on these issues. But there are also times when a small white lie is the kindest course of action you could take in the moment: “I like your haircut.” Right? Or, “No need to apologize – I’d forgotten all about it.” You know what I’m talking about.

According to Queendom, a website run by a psychologist in Montreal, people who blurt out whatever’s on their mind tend to be less sensitive to others’ feelings, more impulsive, and faster to fall into a rage. Surprise, surprise, they’re also less popular in their social circles. If you find you’re offending other folks whenever you open your mouth, not to worry. Queendom.com staff have helpfully listed suggestions on how to be a little more tactful when you talk.

Ernie is a cheeky little rodent. She bides her time near our glass sliding door, perched on her hind legs like a tiny human and trying desperately to peer in. If the door is open a gap, she’ll instantly poke her nose in. She climbs the screen like an agile little monkey and, when scolded, will do a sort of lateral creep onto the brick wall of the house, where she clings remarkably well, craning her neck to peer into our dining room. See, Ernie is convinced there’s all kinds of nonstop fun happening in the building where the free nuts come from. Ernie, by the way, favours raw almonds.

It’s springtime, so many of the wild creatures are enjoying a little seasonal nooky. But with Ernie, we can’t really tell if she’s carrying a litter, or just packing on the pounds thanks to all the treats we give her.

But it’s not a one-way feeding street by any means. In return for the squirrel num-nums, Ernie provides our family – not to mention any company we happen to have over – with endless entertainment. She bounces around the yard, clambers up and down trees, comes close to the door for a visit, hoists herself up and makes eye contact that is, quite frankly, a little eerie. Just think of it as being in the front row of a circus act, one with bold – and quite acrobatic – furry animals.

My concerns about possible fallout from our generosity are twofold. First, I’m forever fretting that our naughty rodent friend will rip a hole in the screen with her agile yet sharp little claws. And two, on the slippery slope of squirrel-human relating, I want to know – will I manage to keep a respectable distance between me and the nutty squirrel lady on My Crazy Obsession?

Don’t be taken in by that look of rodent nonchalance. She’s hankering for more almonds.

To that end, the Fill a Bucket series has caught my eye. Various titles range across all the age groups and have won several awards. According to the authors’ website, just get your hands on these books, and your children are sure to “discover how they can experience the joy of helping, sharing, and giving.”

There are other ways to talk to your kids about kindness, of course. But I’m a sucker for full-colour illustrations.

A heartfelt shout-out to my sis-in-law Elaine for introducing me to these books! Waving at you right now, Elaine!

That’s why I found myself in a classroom at 7:30 one morning this week. It was a delightful event, and I certainly enjoyed chatting with the staff and many other parents at the school.

I could tell you how friendly everyone was – and impressively chipper, considering the early hour. But the person who left the biggest impression on me was neither a teacher nor a parent at the school. It was a woman whose kids don’t even go there.

So why was she there? Turns out she’s a very active volunteer at our school. What gives? I learned that her child’s own school doesn’t have a need for parent participation, so they suggested she contact ours. “I love to volunteer,” she said to me simply. And she smiled.

Hats off to you, lady. You’re an inspiration to us all. I hope you enjoyed your breakfast cake, ’cause heaven knows you’ve earned it.

They handed each of us volunteers one of these. I accept this rose.