Have You Ever Done a Random Act of Kindness?

Have You Ever Done a Random Act of Kindness?

One Friday morning when I was in the bank, the line-up was short but barely moving. As I commented on this to the lady behind me I learned she had to leave soon to pick up her child from school and she was concerned she would not be there on time. When it was my turn to go to the wicket, I motioned that she should go ahead of me. She made a fuss, at first refusing and then thanking me professedly, as if I’d done something special. The other people in the growing line-up stood watching in silence.

Just then a young fellow came into the bank to replace the wet-weather runner that covered the floor in front of the teller’s counter. This should have been a challenge since there were people standing on the runner at each wicket. As I watched, I observed a strange thing begin to happen. Everyone was stepping here and there to accommodate the fellow, allowing him access to the old wet rug and assisting him in rolling out the new one. You could tell by the look of quiet astonishment on his face that this wasn’t what he expected or what he usually experienced. It seemed the other people in the line-up had been inspired by my small act of kindness.

I’ve let people go ahead of me at the bank since that day, or I’ve cracked a joke, or both – just to change the atmosphere in the quiet impersonal place. Sometimes I’ll let an elderly woman go ahead of me and then turn to the young fellow directly behind her who has been watching and say, “Forget it!” and everyone will laugh.

Have you ever done a random act of kindness?

Photo credit:F A

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About The Author


I have always loved writing and community building. I’ve written a book about healing and happiness, The Happy Place, as well as a Community Building book, Sounding the Drum: Community Building in the Digital Age,both available at any Amazon store. I’ve been through life changes that I thought were the end of my world, but I’m still here. You never know what will happen next. Isn’t that what makes life interesting?