There’s a song from my youth that sticks in my head. I can’t remember the title, or even the artist(s), but a phrase has stayed with me, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love, that’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.”
Like that song says, one of the things that’s sorely lacking in today’s world is love. It strikes me that if we loved more, we might have fewer wars, and one way to generate love is through random acts of kindness. Doing something good for someone without being asked is a loving thing to do.
Let’s be honest, though. In a world where your neighbor steals your newspaper and a co-worker eats your lunch out of the office fridge, a random act of kindness sounds as exotic as finding a T-Rex in your backyard. But, believe it or not, performing these gestures can cause a chain reaction of goodness. Don’t believe me? Read on.
First, let’s consider the humble beginnings of the drive-thru-coffee-pay-it-forward. You’re in line at your favorite coffee shop, bleary-eyed and grumpy. You get to the window, and surprise! The car in front has paid for your coffee.
Suddenly, the world seems brighter, the bird songs more melodic, and you have this weird urge to smile at strangers. Inspired, you pay for the person behind you. Before you know it, a chain of caffeine-fueled euphoria spreads like wildfire. It’s a win-win; people get their coffee, and they get a story to tell that warms them up faster than a pumpkin spice latte.
Next up is a grocery store surprise. You’re standing in the checkout line, which is longer than the Great Wall of China, and you notice the person in front of you is short a few dollars, and his credit card has been declined.
Instead of pretending to check your phone, you cover the difference. The look of relief and gratitude on his face is priceless. Who knows, you might have saved this poor guy from a week of ramen noodles and tap water. Doesn’t that make you feel good?
Now, let’s move on to an area that’s the scene of more angry confrontations than you can count on all your fingers and toes—parking spaces. Picture this: you return to your car only to find your meter has expired, and there’s a ticket under your windshield wiper.
But wait! It’s not a ticket, just a note from some kind stranger who topped off your meter. That’s right. Forget the parking enforcement officer, you’ve got a meter angel on your side. Your relief is akin to your dentist telling you that you won’t need that root canal after all.
That’s all it takes, folks. A few random acts of kindness here and there can brighten up days and lift moods. Now, imagine that on a global scale. Like the old saying, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so let’s get this journey started. | NWI
