Four Things That Will Destroy Your Carpet, and How To Avoid Them

You've probably seen it many times; wrinkled spots on carpet, or seams that have separated and look like they need to be stretched back together. You might have even noticed carpet fibers coming loose and bare spots forming. When you see those things, it's often time to replace that carpet. While those kinds of problems might sometimes be due to several years of normal wear, many times they are the result of carpet delamination that could've been avoided.

Delamination is the word for what happens when the primary backing on your carpet separates from the secondary backing. The backing is what holds the fibers to the flooring. When the adhesive on that backing breaks down, delamination begins, and you start to see all those things described above. Once that happens, the affected part of that carpet is toast (to use a technical term).

Here are four common causes of delamination:

1. Water damage: This is one we see all the time in the disaster restoration industry. Say, for instance, that a leaky pipe caused all the carpet to get soaked. The water is clean, so you might think the carpet can just be dried out and re-installed - problem solved, right? Well, if it's dried quickly enough, that could be the case; however, if a carpet gets saturated in water, it doesn't take very long for the water to break down the adhesive. How quickly that happens depends on the quality of the carpet. The moisture will also cause the backing to expand or contract (depending on the type of backing), and that begins to pull the backing loose from the adhesive.

If you have water damage, call a water mitigation professional immediately, for crying out loud. Waiting won't make it go away, and the damage will quickly get worse.

2. Walking on newly cleaned carpet that isn't yet dry: After carpet is cleaned, it has to have time to dry out before any pressure is put on it. Stretching from the pressure and movement created by walking on carpet that is still damp can cause delamination, and the visible damage might not happen quickly enough for you to make the connection between the two. It could be several weeks before you notice a little wrinkle in the carpet or some fibers coming loose. It's best to stay off of the carpet until you're sure it's dry. Depending on the type of carpet and the level of cleaning that was needed, eight to twelve hours should be enough time for it to dry. Keeping the room open where it can air out, and keeping it at a moderate temperature will give you the quickest results.

3. Urine: Urine, whether it's from pets or humans, can do a lot of damage to carpet. In addition to the stains and odor it causes, the acidic nature of urine can quickly break down carpet adhesives and cause delamination. To counteract the acid in the urine, you'll need a cleaning product that neutralizes it. Doing this quickly is essential. You can use a white vinegar and water mixture (3:1 ratio). Just liberally pour it on the urine spot and allow it to soak in. Give it a couple of minutes and then use towels to blot up the moisture. Don't rub it, just blot it until it soaks up as much as possible. Then put a dry towel on top of the spot and place some kind of weight on top of it (maybe a copy of War and Peace or the U.S. tax code). Let it sit overnight to soak up the remaining moisture.

4. Harsh cleaning products: The chemicals in some cleaning products can break down the adhesive in your carpet's backing. While many of these products might be okay for light surface cleaning, using too much could cause it to soak into the backing and ruin your carpet. Be careful about how much of any product you use. Always carefully follow the instructions on the label.

Of course, aging carpet is another cause of delamination. No adhesive, backing or fiber will last forever; even the best ones have a limited life. Still, with proper care and routine cleaning by qualified professionals, your carpets can look great for many, many years.

Cornerstone Constants - Creating An Experience

"Customer service" is a thing of the past, and I'm going to try to erase that phrase from my vocabulary. Allow me explain: Everybody uses the term "customer service," but a lot of companies just don't deliver. That's why it has become a trite expression. Nobody wants to hear about your customer service because they've heard it all before. It's time for something better.

What if we instead told you about our "customer experience?" Now that's a little more interesting, isn't it? Service is mundane; it's a given that should be expected no matter what. An experience, however, is something that goes to such a higher level that it's far beyond the expected. It's something so impressive that you talk about it long after it's over.

Here's an example: I recently heard a friend talking about his Disney "experience." He was so impressed by the way he didn't even have to go to baggage claim after arriving in Orlando. He and his family were picked up at the airport minutes after arrival and taken to their hotel where their bags were waiting for them in their room. Their "experience" was practically hassle free. Disney has long understood that customer service is the bare minimum, but creating a customer experience is what keeps people coming back for more.

We understand that a disaster in your home or business is a far cry from travel to a Disney resort. There's certainly a lot more hassle involved, and you don't even get to ride The Teacups or see a parade at the end of it. But at ServiceMaster by Cornerstone, our hope is to create a customer experience that you don't get with anyone else; one that shows we've put a lot of thought into what the customer is going through, and how we can make it easier on them.

Long ago, our franchise owner developed something called the "Cornerstone Constants." Our constants are the things that our team members are expected to consistently do on every job in order to create the Cornerstone experience.

There are three parts: Cleanliness, Service, and Integrity. Under each part are words that clarify those parts. For example: Under "Cleanliness" are the following words: Uniform, Hygiene, Workplace, Vehicles, and Equipment. So, when someone from ServiceMaster by Cornerstone shows up to do work in your home or business, you can expect them to arrive in a clean vehicle, wear a clean uniform, and use clean equipment. You can also expect that they will take every measure to keep your home as clean as possible before, during and at the end of the job.
Here is the list of Cornerstone Constants that hangs in our office:

If you ever need us, we hope you'll clearly see the difference between customer service and the Cornerstone experience.

The Shocking Truth Behind Disaster Restoration

If a disaster happens in your home or business, you'll probably be relieved to know that someone is on their way to restore the damage - the sooner the better. But have you ever considered what happens once they arrive? Have you wondered what's going to happen over the next several days, and how it will impact your normal routine and enjoyment of that space? Have you wondered how it might affect you on an emotional level?

Let's take water damage, for instance. Proper drying techniques most often require some maneuvers that can seem pretty shocking to the untrained eye. After all, this is your property. You've spent good money to buy it, and perhaps even more money and time renovating or decorating it just the way you want it. Then a disaster happens, and what comes next is almost excruciating to see.

Imagine the unpleasant sight of baseboards being removed from your walls and holes being drilled; sections of ceiling being removed; once-beautiful flooring being taken up; expensive cabinets being removed; and your belongings being shifted around from one area to the next. I'm also talking about a lot of loud noise from the drying equipment, and extension cords being taped to your floor. In addition to that, there's the plastic sheeting erected as a containment barrier throughout your house, and people you just met going in and out of your home. I can see how it could be kind of unsettling.

But if you think about it, you'll quickly realize that all those things have to happen. When moisture is trapped inside of walls and ceilings among all the wood, drywall and insulation, the environment is ripe for additional damage. Leaving it wet will eventually lead to deterioration, mildew, and maybe even (oh, no!) mold. There's only one way to get it dry. We have to blow high velocity air in there to cause evaporation, which will then be collected by our dehumidifiers. The only way to blow air into those spaces is to open them up. That's called demolition, and it makes most people cringe, regardless of how prepared they might be for it.

Demolition may involve removing baseboards along your walls and making holes along the bottom about the size of a half-dollar every couple of feet. It might involve drilling holes in the base of your cabinets, or even removing your cabinets altogether until the areas behind them and the cabinets themselves are dry.

Ceilings also sometimes require demolition. When they're saturated with water, they begin to deteriorate fast. The drywall becomes spongy and starts to crack, and then it's only a matter of time before it starts to sag and then fall. After all, there's typically a bunch of heavy, wet insulation sitting right on top of it. So you can understand why we sometimes have to cut a big square out of your ceiling. Either way, a hole is going to be there eventually; we might as well beat gravity to the punch and make the area safer and cleaner. Besides, we have to blow air in there, too.

Where floors are concerned, carpet is usually the easiest. Almost everyone knows we have to dry under the carpet, so they usually expect to see it pulled up. Seeing the pad underneath being cut out might be a bit cringe-worthy, but carpet pad is cheap to replace. Of course, sometimes the glue that holds the carpet fibers to the backing breaks down from too much moisture. That's called delamination, and when that happens, the carpet itself must be replaced.

As for wood floors, there are a lot of factors that determine what needs to happen when they get wet. If there's moisture below, it can sometimes be extracted with heavy suction using rescue mats, assuming it's a "nail down" floor. If it's a "glue down" floor, it'll usually have to come up. The glue blocks the water trapped beneath, and the suction from the rescue mats can't suck it out. In any case, regardless of the installation method, most of the wood floors we encounter have to be replaced. It's almost impossible to get wood floors dry quickly enough to prevent them from buckling and warping. It all depends on how wet they got and how long they stayed that way. By the way; laminate floors never stand a chance against significant amounts of water. We typically recommend removal if water has gotten below their surface.

Finally, let's address the noise. Our equipment is loud. The technology to create high velocity wind without making much noise doesn't yet exist (and probably never will). Those loud noises are annoying, I know. They disrupt your peaceful environment and drown out the sounds you're used to hearing, but they're necessary to get your home dry and prevent further damage. Think of that noise as the key indicator that those machines are doing what they were built to do; save your house. The same goes for the unfamiliar people milling about your home. They just want to help you get things back to normal as quickly as possible.

Fortunately, someone with a lot of foresight created what we call "Master Moments." Master Moments is a booklet that explains our drying techniques and equipment in detail. It has a section of frequently asked questions, too. At the beginning of each job, we briefly go over the booklet with our customers, touching on the highlights so that we can set proper expectations. We then encourage them to read through the booklet in more detail at their convenience. Of course, our technicians are always happy to try and answer any questions, too.

Master Moments Recovery Guide

So if you have a disaster in your home or business, stay calm, call ServiceMaster by Cornerstone, and try not to be shocked by what happens next.

First Steps to Recovery After a House Fire

Imagine for a moment that you just had a fire in your home. Maybe it wasn't too bad and it didn't burn the entire house down. No one was injured, but it destroyed your kitchen, and really messed up part of your family room, too. The fire hoses soaked everything in that part of the house. The smoke was thick and filled every room, and everything you own now smells like smoke. There's also a film of soot covering everything. The fire is out and the smoke has cleared. So, what now?

There are steps you need to take right away. The hours immediately after a fire are crucial if you're going to recover quickly, so remember the following steps:

1. Immediately call your insurance agent or claims manager. You'll want to file your claim as quickly as possible and get the ball rolling on your recovery. Also, most policies have provisions for the insurance company to issue an immediate advance against your claim to pay for accommodations while the home is uninhabitable, so the sooner you file, the sooner you can plan your temporary living arrangements.

2. Find out when you can re-enter the home. Wait for the fire marshal to give you the "all clear" before going back inside. There are dangers from falling debris and chemicals in the air after a fire. The fire department will let you know when it's safe to go back into the house.

3. Secure your house. If there are holes in the structure or broken windows, you'll need to have it boarded up once the fire is out. You'll eventually have all of your belongings removed from the home, cleaned and stored for you. Until then, they need to be protected from thieves and weather. Regarding especially expensive items that can easily be removed (jewelry, cash, firearms etc.), you might want to consider relocating them to a more secure location immediately, if possible.

4. Make arrangements for a hotel stay, or accommodations with a relative nearby until you can make more long-term arrangements. Be sure to keep any hotel receipts for your insurance claims adjuster. Most insurance policies state that the insurance company will pay for any reasonable living expenses necessary to maintain the policy holder's current standard of living, and since you will likely be out of your home for several months while repairs are being made, you'll eventually want something larger and more comfortable than the initial hotel room. Your insurance agent can probably put you in touch with local resources for finding suitable temporary housing.

5. Buy some basic items like clothing, toiletries, etc. Since everything in your home will probably be saturated with the smell of smoke, it's best to just buy some new things to use until the professional cleaners can clean and remove the smoke odors from your clothing. The same advance against your insurance claim that pays for a hotel will also pay for these other needs.

6. Once you can safely go back inside your house, don't touch anything with your bare hands. Even things that appear unaffected by the fire will have a film of soot on them. The chemical reaction between the soot and the oils in your skin could permeate the objects and cause damage to things that could otherwise be cleaned and salvaged. That's especially the case with things like walls, furniture (both wood and upholstered), photos and art.

7. Contact ServiceMaster by Cornerstone (or a mitigation specialist in your area) to handle the cleanup. Delaying cleanup could cause further damage due to corrosive gasses from the fire, as well as water damage from the fire hoses. Mitigation companies like ServiceMaster have the equipment, expertise and manpower to handle everything, including the removal, cleaning and temporary storage of your belongings. They will work with your insurance company and repair contractors to get everything cleaned up and returned to normal as quickly as possible.

8. Make note of anything that is obviously damaged. ServiceMaster by Cornerstone will also take photos of the damage and all contents in the home, documenting each non-salvageable item. Those photos will then be sent to the claims adjuster in a convenient report intended to help speed up your claims process.

9. Prepare yourself for a few months of inconvenience while things are being put right again. Keep in mind that for a while at least, life is going to be very different from your usual routine and circumstances. There will be several phone calls with people ranging from your insurance company to your mitigation and repair contractors. There will be decisions to make and questions to answer. Just remember that everyone is working toward the same goal; getting you and your belongings back home again.

There's nothing easy about having a house fire. It turns your life upside down and can stress you out, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Try to stay positive, and don't lose sight of the fact that life will eventually go back to normal again.

Protect Yourself From Burst Water Pipe Damage In 5 Easy Steps

The "polar vortex" has reared its ugly head once again. We're barely into fall in the mid-south and we've already been slammed with freezing temperatures, and even a little bit of frozen precipitation. If this is any indication of things to come this winter, Memphis area residents had better get prepared now.

Many of you probably remember the deep winter freeze we had the first week of January this year. Temperatures dropped into the teens and twenties and stayed there for two days, causing pipes all over the area to crack. When the weather warmed up a little, the leaking and spraying began, in most cases while people were at work or still out of town for the holidays. A lot of folks came home to a big, wet mess that day. We encountered several customers walking around their homes in rubber boots, staring despairingly at their caved-in ceilings and ruined floors and furniture. It was a terrible way for them to start off the new year.

The aftermath of a collapsed ceiling due to a burst water pipe.

So, how do you protect yourself from a similar fate? Well, sometimes it happens no matter what you do, but most frozen pipe disasters we've encountered could have been prevented with a little knowledge and action. Here are five easy steps to help you prevent the sorrow and regret of flooding from a burst water pipe:

1. Keep your home heated to a reasonable level. Even if you're not going to be home (or perhaps especially if you're not going to be home) keep your thermostat set to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. You would think that this is a no brainer, but a lot of people who leave home when the weather is mild forget to make sure the heat is set to come on if the temperature drops. If you're leaving town for the holidays, add "set the thermostat" to your pre-trip checklist, right next to "make sure the cat isn't trapped in a closet" (long story, happy ending).

2. Check your insulation. Even with heat running in the house, you still need to make sure the pipes that run through exterior walls, crawl spaces and attics are insulated properly. While we can only hope the builders of our homes adequately insulated our pipes, we can definitely check any exposed pipes in the attic or in crawl spaces and add insulation to them, as well as cover foundation vents and insulate garden hose spigots.

If you're concerned that pipes in your exterior walls might not have enough insulation, there are things you can do. The most proactive step would be to open up the wall and add extra insulation before cold weather hits. You might even want to install a permanent access panel in the wall while you're at it so you can warm the pipes during extreme cold spells. Otherwise, you can always try adding an extra layer of protection by temporarily attaching a piece of foam board to the outside wall that contains those pipes until the freeze threat is over. That extra barrier from a cold wind might make the difference. It might even help if you blow additional heat directly onto the wall from the inside with a space heater (at a safe distance, of course). Do this only if you're going to be home and can fully supervise it.

3. Drip your faucets. Some experts say slowly dripping your faucets will help prevent frozen pipes. The idea is that keeping the water moving prevents it from freezing. Other experts say that doesn't really help, and could even result in water damage from an overflow if your drain becomes clogged or frozen. It's hard to say for sure who is right, but my opinion is to go ahead and drip the faucets if you can be there to keep an eye on it, or at least periodically turn the faucets on and off. That might relieve pressure if the water inside the pipe begins to freeze and expand. And if it's a sink along an outside wall (like many kitchen sinks), don't forget to leave open the cabinet door below to prevent the drain pipe from freezing.  

4. Watch for the signs of a problem. Frozen pipes don't automatically mean burst pipes, although it's pretty likely that they will burst most of the time. Burst pipes don't automatically mean a flood in your house either; you just have to pay attention to the signs and react appropriately. Remember that the most critical time in a freeze scenario is the thaw, not the freeze. If you notice a loss in water pressure during a winter freeze, or no water at all, you need to take action before the pipes thaw and water begins to spray. You'll want to call a plumber as soon as you notice a problem. Don't wait until the thaw begins and everyone else in town is trying to get a plumber. Choose a qualified professional before you need one, and get on his or her schedule early. Even if your pipe hasn't burst yet, the plumber might be able to help you thaw it properly and avoid a problem. That leads us to the next step:

5. Know how to shut off your main water supply.  If you suspect your pipes are frozen, shut off your main water supply to the house and leave your faucets open. Shutting off the water supply will prevent a big water disaster by cutting of the supply of new water. Leaving your faucets on will relieve pressure as the ice begins to thaw. When your pipes thaw and you turn the water back on, do it slowly and watch for any signs of leaking before opening it back up to full pressure. 

Now, being able to take this important step depends on one important factor: Knowing the location of your main water shut off and how to operate it. You might have an interior shut off valve, which can be shut off by simply turning a knob. Otherwise, you'll have to shut your water off at the meter, usually located in your front yard near the road. If you have to shut it off at the meter, you'll need a meter wrench to do it. Make sure you have one. Practice shutting off the main water before a freeze happens. That way you can be sure the valve handle isn't stuck when an emergency occurs.  

As always, if you do happen to find yourself ankle deep (or even toe deep) in water for any reason, the experts at ServiceMaster by Cornerstone are available for emergency service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our phone number is (901) 624-9200. Enter it into your phone along with your plumber's number. You might be glad you did.

It's Fall Y'all! Do These Seven Things Before Winter Arrives

We're now deep into October, and that crisp chill is in the air. Color is bursting onto the landscape and our thoughts turn toward all the outdoor fun we can finally have without risking heat stroke and dehydration.

One more great thing about fall: It's football time in Tennessee (and in other slightly less significant places).

Yes, it's a great time of year to be outdoors. In fact, I have an idea: Pretend for a moment that we're standing outside your home. It's a good time to take a look at a few things before winter gets here. Would you join me?

Let's take a look in the tool shed and make sure we have our water hose spigot insulators. When winter gets here and temps hit freezing, we're going to need those so that the pipes don't burst. Don't forget to firmly attach them when it starts getting cold outside.

Okay, now let's grab our water meter wrench (the black rebar thing that looks like a "T", and should probably be classified as a deadly weapon), and head to the front yard. Find the main water shut-off and make sure it turns. Everything good? Great! You want to make sure that thing works. Much like FEMA after a hurricane, interior shut off valves are notorious for not working properly when you have an emergency. You need to have that exterior valve as a backup.

Let's check the rain gutters now. Set up your ladder and climb on up. If the gutters are full of leaves, go ahead and get those out. Leaves clogging them up can cause rain water to back up behind the gutters and go under the eaves, which will cause the fascia to rot. That ultimately leads to water and pests getting inside your house. Besides, if you don't keep your gutters clean, you'll have small trees growing out of them in the spring, and then all the neighbors will know your shame.

Now while you're up there on the ladder, take a look at the roof. Are there any shingles missing or curled up? Are any tree branches touching the roof?  By the way; how old is that roof now? Even the best asphalt shingle roof will only have a life of about twenty years, maximum. Do you see a lot of granular matter in the rain gutter - a kind of sediment that builds up from the shingles disintegrating? If so, you might want to call a good roofer before winter arrives. Predictions from very serious weather bloggers with no credentials, as well as the Farmer's Almanac indicate a very wet winter this year, and the last thing you want is a leaky roof.

Can you see your chimney from where you're standing? If you plan to use your fireplace this winter, you'll want to have it inspected and cleaned before you build your first fire of the season. Even if you had it cleaned a few years ago and haven't used it since, it's best to have it inspected. Wildlife can get in there and build nests, which turn into raging infernos when sparks hit them. Although it looks amazing when your chimney resembles an upside-down rocket engine, it's really not so amazing when it's the only part of your house still standing.

Let's briefly pop into the attic now that it's cool enough to go in there without suffocating. Look at any water pipes that run through there. Are they well insulated? If not, wrap them up good before the bitter cold hits. There were far too many burst pipes in this town last winter. Not all of them could've been prevented, but some of them could've been with just a little planning. Alright, let's go back outside.

Now, walk around the perimeter of the house and see if you can spot any holes where squirrels, roof rats, or raccoons can get in. They often chew their way in; especially around openings where wires are run into the house. When furry pests get inside your walls and attic, they can make quite a mess; but even worse, they can chew up your wiring and cause an electrical fire. Since shooting holes in your walls with a 12-gauge isn't an option, you might have to call a wildlife removal service if you can't trap them on your own. In any case, evict them as soon as possible. How you dispose of them after that is your own business, but keep in mind that Jed and Granny weren't very picky when it came to vittles, and you don't have to be either - I'm just sayin'.

Okay, that should do it. Don't forget to do that every fall. If you need a reminder, just think of this article when you see the leaves change next year. Happy fall, y'all!

It's Never Too Late For A Kindness Revolution

We're going to change gears a little for this week's article. There's something that has been on all our minds over the last few days, and because ServiceMaster by Cornerstone has been involved with the Kindness Revolution for several years now, we have a few things to say about recent events in our city.

By now, almost everyone in America knows what happened in our home town at the Poplar Plaza shopping center earlier this week. The video of it is cringe-worthy, to say the least. It's beyond the capacity of right-thinking, moral people to understand what possesses one human being (let alone dozens of them) to do those kinds of things to other human beings. Memphis now bears a special kind of shame, and many heads are hung low this week.

However, Sunday's senseless violence is the same thing that happens all the time in other parts of the city, off camera. It happens in schools and in parks. It happens in neighborhood yards and on neighborhood streets. The only difference this time is that it was captured on video in a neighborhood not typically known for violence, and it went viral on the Internet. People the world over have seen it, and now we all have to take notice. There's a serious lack of compassion among many of the youth in this city, and some people wonder if it can ever be changed.

Every talk radio show has analyzed it six ways from Sunday, and almost every idea to change the situation has been paraded out. We've heard everything from "prosecute the parents of unruly kids" to "start another new youth anti-violence program in schools." Everybody seems to think there's some collective method of solving the youth violence problem. They look to political and religious leaders. They point fingers at each other and at the schools. Few seem to really get it.

You're probably now asking; "So, what do we do about it, genius?" Well, I don't know much, but there's an old phrase that is used by conquering armies after wars. Perhaps you've heard it said: "We have to win their hearts and minds." In other words; you can impose all the rules and penalties you want, but few things will actually change permanently unless your ideals become near and dear to those you have conquered. The way they think and feel has to genuinely change.

Make no mistake about it; this is a kind of war. But what's needed is more than a war. What's needed is a revolution, and one of the best revolutions I can think of is one that has existed in this city for several years now - the Kindness Revolution. Perhaps you've heard of it.

The Kindness Revolution was a tremendously popular concept in the beginning. It was started by a business man to encourage more civility in his community by improving kindness in customer service, and promoting kindness everywhere by raising awareness. Now that the excitement of its initial impact has died down, it seems to be losing steam, which is unfortunate. Still, I'm proud that this company is a part of it.

Like many other companies, we still try to live up to the ideals. We have the smiley face stickers, and we even support the program at a local elementary school, but a renewed enthusiasm would be great. You just don't hear as much about the Kindness Revolution as you did a few years ago. It seems like many in our community have drifted away from it and maybe given it up as a lost cause. Why? It's such a simple idea. While the concept wasn't necessarily intended to be a religious one, it's clearly based on a short and simple message from God himself: "Love thy neighbor as thyself."

It's one of the best ideas ever, but it's one that requires more than funding, more than programs, more than slogans and rallies, and more than organized group efforts. What it requires most is thousands of individuals looking for every opportunity to demonstrate kindness in their community, especially in the small ways that don't make newspaper headlines. Understand this: Nobody cares what you know until they know that you care. That's another old phrase, and it's absolutely true.

How many of us have individually gone to a struggling student and offered to tutor him or her for free? How many of us have individually spent time with a young family member or neighborhood kid who needed the guidance and wisdom of an adult? Do we even know the kids in our neighborhood? How many of us have asked a kid what he or she knows about God? So many of them don't know that God loves them. These are all things that don't require a lot of money or planning.

This man noticed that this young woman had no shoes and her feet were bleeding, so he gave her his shoes.

Sure, a lot of us are part of organizations that do charity fundraisers or occasionally deliver meals to hungry people, and that's great. But what do we do on average in the course of our day to show small kindnesses to others around us? Do we ever let some mom struggling with small kids go ahead of us in line at the store? Do we ever let the car next to us get over in front of us when their lane is blocked and they need to get around it? Do we ever just go to a co-worker and tell them we notice how hard they're trying and what a good job they do? It's all about inspiring others, and it doesn't take some grand gesture. It only takes consistent thoughtfulness in ways that don't occur to most people.

It's the small things that add up. How many small, seemingly insignificant kindnesses can you come up with in a day's time? Believe it or not, people are watching. They take notice, and when they see our kindness it often inspires the same in them. That's why it's so important to show our kids how to do small kindnesses for others. Imagine how different those kids at Poplar Place shopping center might've been if they had daily seen the adults in their lives doing kindnesses for others. What might they be like now if their parents had constantly encouraged them to find small ways to do something kind for others - especially those who couldn't do anything for them in return.

The reality is that no Kindness Revolution will change this city over night. Winning hearts and minds often takes years, but it can and does happen. It takes a focused effort every day from each of us who cares. It takes prayer and courage and facing our own shortcomings. It often takes changing our own hearts and minds, and especially our habits.

It's not too late to turn this city around. As long as there is a spark of kindness, we can start brush fires, and those brush fires can become an inferno of goodness in this town. The spark is there, so start your own brush fire. It's never too late for a kindness revolution.