BE KIND Coconuts

While enjoying the sound of an amazing band on a beach in the Florida Keys, I was approached by a very high energy and you could tell, extremely grateful character. As he told his story, I was given wonderful pictures of music festivals, school bus travels and a quick synopsis of planting seeds. Over the next couple weeks, I got to know Robert a bit more, and decided to share the way he shares his love for all, with all of you.

Growing up in the northeast US, Robert describes being involved in festival vending and stage production since he was a teen. Beginning by following the Grateful Dead, selling vegetarian sandwiches in the parking lots of shows to make sure to get to the next. He took the experience he gained there to run a tie-dye and jewelry booth at music festivals and yoga events along the east coast. With the culmination of his professional career spending 15 years as the technical director for the Smithsonian folklife festival. He has now converted a large school bus into an amazing personalized moving home, with a yoga deck built on the top and all.

Not only passionate about working within the festival realm, Robert describes an extensive personal spiritual practice. When he began to visit the Florida keys, he noticed that there was an excess of coconut waste as people integrated the palm trees into the landscapes. As landscape trees instead of sustainability tools, I noticed that there are many places along the islands where coconuts are simply cut out of trees and left in piles as trash. Robert decided to utilize these in a different way. And the idea of "Be Kind Coconuts" was born.

Robert had a brand made that states "BE KIND". I was able to watch him one evening outside of his bus as he spent his time heating the brand and carefully wrapping it around the seeds. Some smaller that took a bit more skill and others large with easy access to spread the message. Even though his first idea was to sell these as he moves down the road, the idea quickly became one of love. Robert chooses to give these coconuts away to spread love and the idea of planting a seed. When you check out his IG and FB pages, you can see the leaving of offerings in many different places. And the goal?....well, to plant as many of these seeds in the waters of the world as is possible, not just for the trees, but also for the reminder to Be Kind in all we do.

When it is time to let a seed go, Robert says a little prayer and throws it into the water. Something he would like to see done with his coconuts in as many places as possible. He tells me one of his dreams is to see a Be Kind Coconut flying over high surf before being delivered to it's water passage. Volunteers are being recruited :)

Robert sent us on our way with plenty of coconuts to share his message. Between gifts for loved ones and ideas to let them free into rivers as they make their way back home to the ocean….the impact of the idea of Be Kind Coconuts leaves a warm feel of love for all men deep within me.

Since Robert gives his seeds away for free, he is offering services to help give back a little bit. He would like to create personalized coconuts and will be spending the summer planting seeds and helping others in Georgia before heading back down to the warmth of the Florida keys and the Big Pine Flea Market again next autumn; where I can’t wait to see what else he has grown through this wonderful idea.

You can find Robert and Be Kind Coconuts on both Facebook and Instagram under that name. I wsa unable to post the links here on Vocal.

Facebook: Be Kind Coconuts And on IG: bekind_coconuts