Something special happened late last week.

A most remarkable woman contacted me, letting me know she wanted the Yellow Envelope Project to be the recipient of her random act of kindness.  This woman found a box of certificates labeled 2010 in her office supply cabinet and, rather than letting them go to waste, she asked if it would be ok to send each recipient from 2010 a completed Certificate of Appreciation.

That isn't it.

This same woman mentioned, in going through old Yellow Envelope posts, she ran across a nomination for a young woman from Georgia.  You die-hard readers will remember the nomination, submitted by the young woman's loving mother.  Rebecca was thirteen and volunteered with an organization at her school that helps students with special needs.  Her mother wrote to the Yellow Envelope Project because she wanted Rebecca to receive words of encouragement.  It seemed Rebecca's thoughtful and loving gestures were met with ridicule and teasing from her peers.  That week, House of Shine readers rose to the occasion and flooded Rebecca's mailbox with anonymous letters of gratitude sealed in yellow envelopes.

But this woman didn't read Rebecca's story until months later when she was digging out names of people to be awarded her certificates of appreciation.  She, too, was the friend of a special needs child and, thirty years later, she explains the relationship changed her forever.  She was so moved by Rebecca's story that, months later, she sent Rebecca a seven-page letter, front to back, encouraging her to continue doing the right thing.

At the expense of sounding corny I must admit, I feel humbled - completely humbled - to have in some small way been associated with that exchange.

We have created something out of nothing, here at the House of Shine.  Our Project has become a space for recognizing every day people who do extraordinary things.  We have also, in turn, become a meeting place for extraordinary people who are seeking ways to join forces and do something for the greater good.  All because a little over a year ago we created a space - a small corner of the world where the concept of Shine could be fed and encouraged to grow.

That feels worth celebrating.

If you haven't yet experienced the joy of dropping a little good will into your local mailbox, and out into the universe, then consider joining us by recognizing this week's recipient of the Yellow Envelope Project.  Click here and see how simple it is to make something special happen.

Shining off until tomorrow...