Her late mom never forgot to pack cookies for strangers. So she built a 'planet' for those who miss her warmth
There is something magical about a person who is warm, kind and gentle. Even after they’re gone, a bittersweet nostalgia of the love they’ve shared lingers beautifully. A woman shared how her late mom, Gayle, had this effect on a majority of people. Among other health struggles, the woman was battling Alzheimer's and also had a broken arm. Nevertheless, she left behind her kindness to be missed by many. To add to her goodness, her daughter started an Instagram page @planet.gayle, where she shares the best of her mom’s light to those who need it. One of her videos revealed how her mom's simple act of giving treats to strangers changed her perspective.
In one of her videos, the woman mentioned that Gayle was no ordinary woman. “She was one of the first female chief radio engineers,” her daughter explained. She also had the privilege of hearing Martin Luther speak. Despite being an esteemed individual, she spent her retirement doing “random acts of kindness” for those around. Sharing a clip of her mom in her wheelchair, the woman noted, “I didn’t know this would be my mom’s very last outing. Her last car ride. Her last time feeling sunshine. The last time she’d hand out treats to strangers … just to make them smile,” she shared.
“For decades, she delivered muffins to postal workers, peanuts to squirrels, cookies to Costco employees—usually while wearing head-to-toe tie-dye and a giant feathered hat. It was her weird and wonderful way of loving the world,” the daughter explained. The clip captured how the elderly woman, despite feeling weak and “yuckky”, managed to get treats in the form of cookies, bars and other eatables. Sharing it with staff members and other strangers, adding a smile to their faces, Gayle said that they “deserved a treat.” “She insisted on packing treats for the nurses before her X-rays. We did it together,” she shared.
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Despite seeing her ailing mom fading and struggling, she was inspired by her determination to brighten another’s day. “She could barely stand, but she was still giving,” she remarked. She pondered how, throughout her life, she had misjudged her mom for being so outgoing and kind, as did others. “But in those last days, I finally saw her clearly. Her intensity and generosity weren’t just chaos. It was courage,” the caption revealed. Gayle's “full, wild, brilliant, aggressively kind self” pushed her to build “Planet Gayle.” She noted how there is a “little Gayle” in all of us. “A little part that feels a bit too weird, too soft, too much, too different,” she explained.
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“I watched my mom let that part of her run wild and free, changing countless hearts and minds in the process. And maybe that’s the whole point. Maybe … that’s exactly what we’re all here to do,” she wrote. Her simple conclusion is a sweet challenge that many are out to conquer. @southernebellbarbie1985 said, “Your mother was a humanized version of ‘The Giving Tree.’ What a blessing she was.” @claireaceno added, “In your mom’s name, I will try my best to let that part of me give and shine freely!” @marie_bustinmoves remarked, “Queen Gayle lives on through you and me too.”
You can follow (@planet.gayle) on Instagram for more content on kindness, motivation and more.