Random Acts of Kindness

Random Acts of Kindness

I don't want you, dear reader, to think that I am a veritable 24-hour-a-day shrew who complains incessantly.  I assure you, I am a very positive, up-beat, generally mellow optimist.  I just don't think there's anything wrong with standing up for what's right.

And standing up for what's right also entails acknowledging the good things in life.

I have a variety of jobs -- my current part-time jobs of scriptwriting, newspaper reporting, corporate event planning, mystery shopping, and school carpooling equal out to a more than full-time work and almost full-time pay, so they are all satisfying and somewhat rewarding.

In trying to launch a home-based, freelance writing career, I started my own mystery shopping service and mailed flyers to local businesses offering to evaluate their service performance.  Combining my personal experience as a consumer with my professional expertise in customer service and communicative writing made me an effective evaluator.  Being very detailed, I provided my customers with extensive reports -- the good, the bad, and the ugly -- so they could fix whatever problems they might have as well as reward employees who were doing their jobs well.  (Too bad being in a small town limited my client base).

Often I would send complimentary reports to businesses where I received shoddy treatment.  Sometimes they made improvements, sometimes they simply ignored my recommendations.  But what I really enjoy doing is sharing "atta boys" with as many people as possible.  When I receive great service, I write a letter to the editor of our local paper (and it doesn't matter that I work for him on a part-time basis -- I wrote letters to the paper long before I was assigned the school board beat).  That way, everyone who reads the paper is aware of where to get good service and the business gets a pat on the back as well as an increase in potential business.

But that's not what most people think of as "random acts of kindness".

We think of:

•  the woman who fed expired parking meters (and got a ticket in the process -- which is ludicrous!)

•  the person who lets us merge onto the highway without the threat of a collision.

•  the young man who holds open a door for someone with their hands full

•  the generous motorist who pays another's toll

•  the benefactress who shares her largess with residents devastated by natural disaster.

But what about:

•  the person in line at the grocery check-out who lets a young mother and her toddlers go to the head of the line?

•  the "busy-body" older couple who keeps a watchful eye on our children when they're outside playing and on our property when we're away?

•  the teacher who freely dispenses encouraging words?

•  the doctors who try to find causes rather than just treatment?

•  the pastors, priests, and reverends who lend ears and shoulders to people in need?

•  the friends who share tears and laughter?

•  the co-workers who take up the slack when we're on vacation or sick?

•  the boss who understands when you have a sick child at home or need to go to the dentist?

•  the person who gives to charity out of a heartfelt desire to share rather than a guilty conscience or a misguided sense of obligation?

•  the motorist who signals you to go first at an intersection?

•  the neighbors who wave as you drive past their house?

•  the church member who shares a covered dish, a song, or hope?

•  the dog who wags its tail and licks your hand in return for seeing your face and a pat on the head?

•  the cat that curls up and purrs around your leg?

•  the birds that serenade you in the morning?

•  the people around you who are trying to make a difference, no matter how large or small it may be?

To paraphrase a chili commercial, "Neighbor, when was the last time you performed a random act of kindness or thanked someone for theirs?  Well, that's too long."

Small kindnesses cost so little, yet mean so much.  They are one of the best investment opportunities money can't buy.