THERE ARE NO "SMALL" ACTS OF KINDNESS
Edited by Shmuel Greenbaum
Since I founded DoOneNiceThing.
nice things they do for others or are done for them. I have come to
the conclusion that there is no such thing as a "small" act of
kindness. Some actions might be less dramatic than others, but each
one has the potential to make a big impact on someone. We never know:
* A man in Missouri told me that his 10-year-old daughter had the
idea to give some of her books to a little friend who loved to read
but had no books. The father readily agreed to help his daughter
assemble some books to give away. But he said she must not give the
books to the girl at school. Instead, he dropped them off on the
doorstep of the classmate's home to avoid embarrassing her or her
family. Is giving away a few used books a small thing? Not to a poor
student who is hungry to read, and not to a father who is proud of
his young daughter's desire to help others.
* A fellow in Wyoming called me about a nice thing that his friend
did: They carpool together in a truck, and on their way to and from
work each day, the men noticed another man walking down a long road -
everyday. One day the friend put his old but decent bicycle in the
back of the truck, and when they saw the man walking, the friend
jumped out and gave him the bicycle.
The man was surprised and very grateful. Is giving away an old bike a
small thing? Not to a person who can now save hours and avoid pain by
riding instead of walking. And not to the giver's friend who is
inspired by his friend's kindness.
* A woman in New York told me that she buys a sandwich for lunch
almost everyday. When she does, she eats half and asks the waiter to
wrap up the other half and put it into a bag. When she leaves the
restaurant she finds a homeless person to give the leftover sandwich
to. Is giving away a leftover sandwich a small thing? Not to a person
who is starving.
* A man I know takes a walk every morning in his California
neighborhood, and when he does he carries a package of cookies with
him. He hands a cookie to anyone he sees - neighbors, gardeners,
repair crews, delivery people - and wishes them a heart-felt "Good
morning!" When they see him they call out,
"Cookie Man!" and wave and smile. Is giving someone a cookie and a
smile small thing? Not to the recipient who is filled with joy by a
simple act of generosity.
* A marathon runner wrote to me to praise the people who help her
train. She is blind, and sighted runners allow themselves to be
tethered to her by a loose rope so she can follow the course.
She said she has never had a problem finding another runner to help
her - someone always offers, and she is deeply grateful to them. Is
wearing a loose rope around your waist a small thing? Not to a woman
who can now fulfill her dream of competing alongside others.
Every act of kindness matters, no matter how small it might
seem to us.
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Do you have good ideas for acts of kindness?
GBY
Bro Robert
PS Audio downloads available by clicking my public page
