Share-brella

I've had an idea brewing for a while. You know those days where you don't think it is going to rain but it does?

So you are out and you don't have an umbrella and then you are soaking wet and uncomfortable and have to deal with being damp and smelly for the rest of the day.

Whenever I am driving on days like that I wish I had a spare umbrella to pass out the car window to these people. But if I did, then I would have no umbrella. I would have done a tiny bit of good - improved someones day but it would end there.

But what if there was a stash of umbrellas that everyone shared with strangers. Umbrellas that were temporary and everyone knew that they were to be used but then passed on to someone else who needed them. Then if I was driving in my car and I saw someone who needed an umbrella i would give it to them and know that once they would be really grateful but then I would also know that one day they would be driving in their car and see someone else and pass it on. Then they would pass it on. They they would pass it on. Many people would be affected by these tiny acts of kindness. When someone is kind it improves your day and encourages you to be kind.

So often our bad days are caused by tiny moments of frustration, and these bad days fester and breed and we are rude to other people and the negativity multiplies.

Tiny acts of kindness can improve the world - I really do believe that. So my idea is Share-Brella!

So my challenges are:

How do people know that they need to pass the umbrella on? Little laminated labels on the umbrella explaining it?
How do I encourage people to actually do it? - social media? share your share-brella story on twitter and instagram and make it a 'cool' thing? This would also help track where the umbrellas are to give visibility of whether or not my idea is working.
What if the umbrellas get damaged? I don't suppose you can repair umbrellas, maybe each umbrella needs an individual code or name so I can identify how many are in circulation and whether I need to buy more?
Who pays for this? Corporate sponsership? Small bars and local cafes? They could also be share-brella drop off points if someone no longer needs it but cant carry it around....
How many umbrellas?
The umbrellas need to have an identity to create a buzz - they need to look like Share-Brellas but also be unisex and not too out there that people wont want to use them.
How can Share-Brella do more good than just keep people dry and give them happy sparks? Could they be used to educate and raise awareness of 'something'? Raise money for charity?
What do I need to do to get started?
How can I make the concept grow?
How can I make is self-sustaining?
How do I stop people removing the label?
How do I deter people from stealing them?


Maybe the label could read something like this?
This is a Share-Brella. Use it while you need it, then pass it forward to someone else.
Share your Share-Brella story @share-brella #sharebrella
If you cannot pass it on - return to a drop off point listed at www.sharebrella.something.com
Tiny Acts of Kindness can Change the world.

Cleaning the Pool

I was thinking about religion today.  Then I was thinking about death.

I was thinking: what if when we die – all the non-physical parts of us just get redistributed to those who come next.

So all of our hopes and dreams and memories and likes and dislikes and fears all get thrown into a big pool and as each new life comes – they get a random selection of whatever is in there.

So we are born with memories and fears and hopes of those who came before us. They shape who we are and we live our lives with them – unless we are able to override them with our new experiences.

Maybe my fear of snakes came from a mouse. I can keep that fear with me my entire life (although it will most likely be dulled over my lifetime as I have no real reason to be afraid of snakes) and when I die that fear will go back in the pool and be passed onto someone else. Or I can work towards eliminating that fear somehow and then it won’t.

What if we strive to improve ourselves, create good memories and overcome our demons – not just so that we can be rid of them but to clean the pool for everyone who comes after us. 

Just a thought.