Della Steward got the standard well-wishes on her blog on her 53rd birthday, but she got some unusual messages too. One was about the Smith family who had just lost their four-year-old son to cancer. His older brother was in deep sorrow. Could Della help?
That message and the 30 or so others like it were exactly what Della was looking for. To celebrate her 53rd, the long-time social service professional had put out a call on her blog. She wanted to commit 53 random acts of kindness by the end of her birth month, and she needed information on people who could use one. When she got the note about the Smith family, she sent a wind chime （风铃） with the message "Listen to the wind and know that I am near" written on it. It now hangs in the four-year-old's bedroom, where his older brother can go to listen to it whenever he wants.
This is not the first time that Della has decided to give gifts for her birthday. For her 47th, in 2016, she founded Love in Action, an organization committed to doing something good near her home and beyond. Its aim is simple：Do Your Best, Show Your Love!
Over the years, the organization has reached out and touched well over 100 strangers, some found via Della's blog, others with help from her grandkids. The organization also shares inexpensive and creative gift ideas for others to help people in need.
Della pays for everything herself: gift cards, pay-it-forward purchases at drive-throughs, and care packages, as well as the gas it takes to play fairy. Her family often gives her some extra birthday cash with a serious warning against spending it on anyone else, which she naturally ignores. "I got a couple of gift cards for my birthday this year and was like 'YESSS!" It's Della's party, and she'll give if she wants to.
