If you listen to the news – or read it, or watch it, or in my case have your partner tell you about it – you would think that the world was turning into a mean, stingy place where everyone is out to rip you off or do you harm.
Of course these things happen. I’ve had to learn to search reviews of everyone I buy from on the internet now because there are so many scams out there.
This breeds fear and lack of trust and makes us see our fellow humans as threats.
NOT a good way to live.
But let me share something that happened in my world just recently that might make take this negative view away.
In the space of a couple of days these two things happened:
I was walking in Byron Bay behind a young man (early 20’s). A woman was struggling to push her grocery -laden shopping trolley up the hill to her car. I was just about to step around him to help her when to my surprise, he jumped in and pushed her trolley all the way to her car. Then he went to help her friend who had just appeared with the same problem.
I was so surprised. It had been a long time since I’d seen someone around that age do something so thoughtful and kind.
I had a warm glow for the rest of the day. And both those women had one at the time.
Then, a couple of days later I was buying some fruit before work. There was an elderly woman before me who was obviously having problems with her memory – asking repeatedly if she’d paid and looking over and over in her bag to see if she’d put her produce in.
The girl at the counter was late teens. She was soooo patient and kind and reassuring. It was beautiful to see. So many people get cranky and impatient with things like that.
I let her know how impressed I was and she said “We’ll be like that one day and I hope someone treats me with the same respect”. Wow – empathy too.
Again I was left with a warm glow.
That’s what Random Acts of Kindness do – make everyone involved feel good.
These small gestures brighten the day of the people receiving. They make the recipient feel good. And, for me, even weeks after, when I think of both those experiences I feel good too.
So the next time you have the opportunity to commit a Random Act of Kindness – do it. You will be generating joy for more people than you think.
I hope hearing about it gave you a warm glow too.
