Feb. 15 - Cookie Kindness

Day 47 of a year of Kindness 

I shared cookies I got for Valentine’s Day with a friend. During college, I spent one summer in San Francisco at Mrs. Field’s cookies in Chinatown. At the end of the summer, my brother, Stuart, and I drove across the country to Rhode Island. I filled up a massive container with Mrs. Field’s cookies (semi-sweet, milk chocolate, macadamia, oatmeal raisin) the day before our trip home. Unbeknownst to me, Stuart ate every last one of them in the 24 hours before we left. It was spectacular and also super annoying. It has become part of our family lore. So, 30 plus years later, Stuart sent me a box full of Mrs. Field’s Cookies for Valentine’s Day. It gave me a good laugh. I shared some with my friend Megan today (her dog Tate did not get any) and we ended up taking a walk in the snow. Thanks Stu! 

Science of kindness: Multiple studies suggest that the act of giving someone a cookie (or sharing in general) is good for our brain because it thrives on human interaction. Research has also found that eating a cookie has mental health benefits. The act of eating something we enjoy triggers the release of endorphins, which can create a sense of happiness. So, if you share a cookie and eat it together - it’s a kindness win-win. #kindnessmatters #kindness #kindnessiscontagious @10kindnessclub #mrsfields