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GRAND JUNCTION — Nicholas Moore and Ashlee Bingham want to make a positive difference in the world.
Moore, 21, and Bingham, 19, never met each other until just recently until both decided, in the same way, to improve their world.
Moore gathered some like-minded friends, and Bingham asked her like-minded cousin to join them with the goal of encouraging positive thoughts through holding hand-lettered signs, smiling and waving at people.
It’s that simple.
They can be seen on Saturdays around Grand Junction holding signs that say, “Think Positive,” “Live,” “Think” and the one Bingham held last Saturday, “How Many of These Have You Passed on Today?” with a hand-drawn picture of a grin.
Saturday, at the roundabout at Seventh and Main streets, Moore, Bingham and nearly a dozen of their friends, along with Bingham’s cousin Ethan Carpenter, held the signs, waved and smiled at people who drove by in their cars and who walked by. At times, the sign-holders walked up and down Main Street, spreading happy thoughts.
Some people think they’re protesting, “and we’re not,” Moore said. “We’re just encouraging a positive mindset.
“It’s definitely rewarding.”
“Small acts of kindness really do make a difference,” agreed Bingham. “It’s cool that something so small can really make a difference.”
Ironically, both Moore and Bingham had the inspiration.
A while ago, they saw a man holding a sign he had made that said simply, “Positive Thoughts.” Moore saw him twice, once on Patterson and another time on North Avenue. Bingham saw the man at 12th and Patterson.
“It was so unexpected,” Bingham said. “It just really made me feel happy.”
“I have no clue who he was,” said Moore, who said he was inspired by the man and his message.
Out of respect for who Bingham dubbed the “mystery man,” Moore won’t steal his words and create a “Positive Thoughts” sign of his own.
Being negative is so easy, Moore said. But being happy is also simple.
“You have to choose to be willing to be positive,” Moore said.
The group receives a varied response. Some people honk. Some wave their middle finger. Some smile and wave. Some stop and talk. Some wave peace signs.
“A lot of people wave,” said Shawn Dee, who held the sign that said, “A Whole Universe Is Out There and ...”
“LIVE,” is the sign held by his friend, Chris Artrup, who said, “It’s pretty fun.”
“I think some people appreciate this sort of thing. I think some people think it’s retarded,” Moore said.
“One lady told me to keep doing what I’m doing. That encouragement is encouraging,” Moore said.
Bingham’s and Carpenter’s messages have a mild political motive — not a political message — but a motive to include the younger generation.
“We’re going to inherit this earth,” Bingham said.
A lot of the older generation, those 45 to 75, make the decisions that affect their generation, Carpenter said.
“It’s our generation that will have to live with” the decisions, Carpenter said.
So they encourage younger people involve themselves in the issues of the day.
And on Saturday, the issue was to be happy, smile and think positive thoughts.
Reach Marija B. Vader at mvader@gjfreepress.com.
Moore, 21, and Bingham, 19, never met each other until just recently until both decided, in the same way, to improve their world.
Moore gathered some like-minded friends, and Bingham asked her like-minded cousin to join them with the goal of encouraging positive thoughts through holding hand-lettered signs, smiling and waving at people.
It’s that simple.
They can be seen on Saturdays around Grand Junction holding signs that say, “Think Positive,” “Live,” “Think” and the one Bingham held last Saturday, “How Many of These Have You Passed on Today?” with a hand-drawn picture of a grin.
Saturday, at the roundabout at Seventh and Main streets, Moore, Bingham and nearly a dozen of their friends, along with Bingham’s cousin Ethan Carpenter, held the signs, waved and smiled at people who drove by in their cars and who walked by. At times, the sign-holders walked up and down Main Street, spreading happy thoughts.
Some people think they’re protesting, “and we’re not,” Moore said. “We’re just encouraging a positive mindset.
“It’s definitely rewarding.”
“Small acts of kindness really do make a difference,” agreed Bingham. “It’s cool that something so small can really make a difference.”
Ironically, both Moore and Bingham had the inspiration.
A while ago, they saw a man holding a sign he had made that said simply, “Positive Thoughts.” Moore saw him twice, once on Patterson and another time on North Avenue. Bingham saw the man at 12th and Patterson.
“It was so unexpected,” Bingham said. “It just really made me feel happy.”
“I have no clue who he was,” said Moore, who said he was inspired by the man and his message.
Out of respect for who Bingham dubbed the “mystery man,” Moore won’t steal his words and create a “Positive Thoughts” sign of his own.
Being negative is so easy, Moore said. But being happy is also simple.
“You have to choose to be willing to be positive,” Moore said.
The group receives a varied response. Some people honk. Some wave their middle finger. Some smile and wave. Some stop and talk. Some wave peace signs.
“A lot of people wave,” said Shawn Dee, who held the sign that said, “A Whole Universe Is Out There and ...”
“LIVE,” is the sign held by his friend, Chris Artrup, who said, “It’s pretty fun.”
“I think some people appreciate this sort of thing. I think some people think it’s retarded,” Moore said.
“One lady told me to keep doing what I’m doing. That encouragement is encouraging,” Moore said.
Bingham’s and Carpenter’s messages have a mild political motive — not a political message — but a motive to include the younger generation.
“We’re going to inherit this earth,” Bingham said.
A lot of the older generation, those 45 to 75, make the decisions that affect their generation, Carpenter said.
“It’s our generation that will have to live with” the decisions, Carpenter said.
So they encourage younger people involve themselves in the issues of the day.
And on Saturday, the issue was to be happy, smile and think positive thoughts.
Reach Marija B. Vader at mvader@gjfreepress.com.
