Kindness. It’s contagious isn’t it? There was a commercial that ran a few months ago, by a financial company, and it showed people doing normal activities that make the day a little better, which makes a difference to an onlooker who continues the kindness. For example a Mom has a toddler in a stroller and the child drops her stuffed toy. A stranger picks it up to give it back and the spark of kindness makes the Mom do something nice later in the day…and seeing her kind act provokes someone else to do something nice too. What if we lived each day with the purpose of making a difference in just one person’s life? Would it be contagious?
On the First Friday of each month we spread the word about promoting a RACK (Random Act of Community Kindness). Well, on 12/12/12, you can join us in passing along an Another Act of Kindness! Here are Twelve Ideas to get you thinking:
- Choose to inspire and instill kindness as you wait in a LONG customer service line. Bring stickers for your kids to hand out! Smile and talk with the other customers.
- In any line…let 3 people go in front of you.
- Hold the door open for the person walking up behind you and smile.
- Bake some cookies and bring them to a neighbor.
- Send an extra copy of last Sunday’s newspaper overseas to the Military serving (comics especially) Visit AnySolier.com to get a specific mailing address!
- Call ahead to a nursing home and see if you can bring your puppy dog in there to spread some cheer.
- Send a hand-written letter to your Grandmother. (It doesn’t have to be strangers that benefit from our kindness.)
- Dance really S~I~L~L~Y with your Children. And Laugh and Laugh and Laugh.
- Call your church pantry and see if you can volunteer for a day.
- Be on time. (This particular item hits home, hard, for me…and I will be getting *bonus* points with the hubby for this one for sure!)
- Let the other guy have the parking place you just waited 5 minutes for. (I didn’t say this was easy.)
- …there are millions of “free” ways to be kind! (watch the commercial I mentioned above here)
Looking for some additional inspiration? Join the RACK Facebook Event HERE.
Want something to hand someone so they don’t think you are crazy? Give them the letter HERE and start spreading the kindness!
This is a special event because it requires no money, no time, and nothing except paying special attention to reaching out to others.
We just finished a study of an American Poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I think it deserves quoting:
“Kind hearts are the gardens,
kind thoughts are the roots,
kind words are the flowers,
kind deeds are the fruits,
take care of your garden and keep out the weeds,
fill it with sunshine, kind words and kind deeds.”
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Download THIS poster to hang in your office, workplace or school room and remind each of us that kindness happens *freely* each day!
