Have You Ever Initiated or Received a Random Act of Kindness?
Paying it forward, random acts for no reason — have you ever had the opportunity to share one or been the recipient of a random act of kindness?
Locally, we occasionally hear of an out-of-the-blue act of kindness — usually at a drive-through — that brings a smile to the face of the receiver and sometimes brings about a whole change in the outlook on the day.
More times than not, the recipient of the free meal, coffee or even baskets of groceries is inspired to pass it on or pay it forward to the next person.
Thus was the act of kindness that resulted in a day of free coffee for hundreds of people at a shop in Winnipeg, Canada.
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After the Newtown shooting, a movement began to perform 26 Acts of Kindness — one in honor of each of the victims. Facebook pages have been dedicated to the effort and there's even a Twitter hashtag, #26Acts, spurred by Ann Curry of NBC.
Admit it. Whenever a Facebook friend posts a status update or a tweet comes across from someone we know who has been the recipient of even such small or large generosity, it changes our whole outlook on humanity. These little gifts that remind us, no matter the fiscal cliffs and ugliness that makes the headlines, there is still good left in the world.
Need some ideas that are pretty easy to do?
- Buy coffee for the person behind you in line
- Rake leaves for a neighbor
- Buy lunch for a homeless person
- Send flowers to a rehab facility
- Buy a veteran's meal
- Write your child's teacher a thank-you note
- Volunteer at a soup kitchen
- Donate during a local blood drive
- Spend some time at a senior center
- Send a treat to your local fire department
- Send a treat to a day care center
- Volunteer to read in a school
Have you ever participated in a random act of kindness? Tell us about it.
Amy Zelaya
7:39 pm on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
I will be the 1st to comment!!!! ALWAYS...I try to do a little something everyday...does not always have to be monetary...but doing these random acts of kindness makes my day...I donate my time at the homeless shelter, feed and buy groceries for the homeless in my town (YES, I have befriended them), some days I purchase the meal or coffee for the person behind me, help my neighbors without being asked, donate blood (even though I feel ill afterwards), and the best one ever in my book::::I decided to buy groceries for any person behind me in Safeway..in the mood for giving..no one was behind me so I waited..a couple finally arrived..I told them I would purchase their groceries..they thought I meant for them to buy mine..the clerk knew what I meant..I paid almost $100.00..they thanked me..I left..but the best thing was..one of the clerks ran outside with flowers for me and said this was one of the nicest things we have seen someone do and thought we would give you these flowers..I CRIED..a wonderful act of kindness for ME..thank you all and do what you can ALWAYS..