“Do a deed of simple kindness; though its end you may not see, it may reach, like widening ripples, down a long eternity.” -Joseph Norris
This being my last post of 2010 I wanted to make it something that we can not only reflect on, but something quite simple really that each of us can take action on every day of 2011.
Be Selfish Be Generous
How many times a day are there opportunities for you to touch someone with kindness and generosity? I would guess that they are actually unending. It is simple to bring smiles to people, to lighten their load for the moment, to completely surprise them in a good way, and perhaps to inspire them to pass on the kindness to others. This of course extends to all living things on this planet as well!
While I was living in the Bay area of San Francisco I would often pay for the person behind me on the Golden Gate bridge. It is amazing to watch how people receive these random acts of generosity and kindness. Some would honk as they passed by or hurry to pay so that they could catch up to you to smile through the window…and others would stay at the ticket booth for awhile – I don’t know how long as I had to drive forward – and seemingly argue with the person collecting the toll not quite understanding that they had just been “tagged”. Letting go of the outcome is part of this “game” too, but somehow there is always an effect that is generated!
Similar to what Jim Norris said in the above quote Mother Theresa said, “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echos are truly endless”. Words, actions, smiles, creative, spontaneous, and anonymous acts of kindness and generosity all contribute to being the change we wish to see in the world.
I had to put this video on the post as every time I watch it I smile. Put out by T-mobile it is an example of what can happen when a person is made to feel special. In this case it is like a virus that runs through an entire airport terminal. If you get a chance listen to the comments of people afterward that are from passengers that were arriving at the airport. (separate video on the right side panel)
Welcome Home – Life is for sharing (t-mobile)
Let this New Year be one in which you practice what I call the sharing of a breath of kindness – a breathing space of acknowledging that through these simple kind and generous acts of humanity we are making the life of someone or something else better…. even for just a moment…and in turn it truly does ripple out forever.
Why not make this a New Year’s Resolution. Below I have given you a link to receive free of charge something that will assist with this commitment. The site also has great stories from people across the globe to inspire you to take action.
What is a “smile card”? It’s a game of kindness — do something nice for someone and leave a card behind asking them to pay it forward. To date, 861,401 cards have been shipped without any charge.
I invite you to share your stories throughout the year on this blog… I know I will!
2011 – a year for acts of generosity and kindness! I’m in…are you?
OTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT: www.WildlyFreeWoman.com