I learned a new tradition in the world of kinship this week. Sunday night, while driving to our vacation spot in Grand Haven, my brother Mike told me why he had two and half dozen rubber duckies in a small cardboard box in the back of his Jeep Wrangler.

He noticed after he had purchased the Wrangler that periodically someone placed a Rubber Duckie on the hood of his car or the driver side view mirror. He thought at first maybe someone was stalking him, he jokingly said, or this was some kind of prank played by friends.

But even when he left his car in a parking garage he would find these rubber duckies on his vehicle. Finally, a friend of his did the most logical thing and googled about rubber duckies being left on cars.

Evidently there is a kinship tradition for Jeep Wrangler owners. When they park near another Wrangler they leave a rubber duckie somewhere on the vehicle.

Mike said the two and half dozen duckies he had currently were half purchased and half gifts from unknown Wrangler owners.

Monday as I drove to purchase some breakfast items at the local grocery store I noticed behind me a Wrangler parked next to the cart corral. I gleefully grabbed one of the duckies and immediately went to deposit it on the other Jeep.

There was still a woman in the driver’s seat talking on the phone so I waved before I coyly placed the rubber duckie on her hood. She rolled down here window, broke off from her conversation, and said smiling, “Isn’t this a great tradition among Wrangler owners.” She then reached on to her dash and gave me one of her six duckies just waiting to be passed on to future Wrangler kin.

I agreed with Mike that just participating in this tradition brings a smile to my face and a warmth in my heart. This little offering of acknowledgement to another owner is so innocuous, but heart warming.

My third visit to the store today I again parked next to a Wrangler and again I deposited a duckie, this time on the side view mirror. Shortly later both of us Wrangler drivers arrived at our vehicles with our purchases in hand and I mentioned, “What are the odds we both parked next to each other,” without pointing out the duckie on their mirror. We chatted for a moment and I then got in to my Wrangler. Just before I drove off the other driver noticed the duckie, he passed it on to his passenger, and she laughed, then mouthed her thank you with a big smile on her face.

As I drove home I thought what a poignant example of how a simple act of kindness can bring a warmth of kinship between people. It was like a band of brothers and sisters, though strangers, acknowledging the personhood of each other through. This silly little inexpensive gift helped create a bond between strangers. This seemed a step in acknowledging our ties to one another just because we found we have something in common.

Perhaps we could give a friendly hello just to anyone whose path we cross and acknowledge we are all in this world together. Kindness can definitely create a kinship across all lines of differences. Let us all share our duckie of kindness whenever we can and perhaps we can become more untied instead of focusing on that which separates us.

Blessings,

Randy – a Beach with a view.