Random Acts of Kindness-Should Last All Year Long

For me random acts of kindness happens all the time-a smile to a stranger, holding the door for someone with their hands full, getting the mail for an elderly person so they don’t slip on the ice, sending an email telling someone you are thinking about them, donating to a cause that we believe in, making something for someone to make them smile, being there for a friend when they are down or need someone to vent to.
I do all those things everyday, for me random acts of kindness makes me feel warm and happy inside. It is also a way for me to give back and to “repay” those who showed me their own random acts of kindness, I will explain more about this later on in the post.
This past weekend, a friend called and was telling me about her Sunday school class and how the kids could earn money in the play store for learning bible verses or coming to class. They were able to purchase small gifts for family for Christmas. My friend then proceeded to tell me about this little boy, who has been a bit of a handful over the past few months. “Bubba” shopped in the store and gave the presents to my friend to wrap and asked her if she could put his names on the presents and he turned his back while she did it so he wouldn’t know what present was what.
My friend asked him why he bought presents for himself, and he replied

“Because this way I know that this Christmas I will have something under the tree”!

While my friend was contemplating this “Bubba’s” sister asked her if there was any food in the store that she could purchase to take home to her family. My friend replied no, I am sorry there is no food in the store.
It broke my heart to hear this story! These kids were 5 and 7 years old! They live in a run down home with 10+ other family members all living together. I sent them some money and my friend went out to purchase some items for the kids for Christmas.
Now I am not posting this because I am bragging that I helped. It is a story that I think needs to be shared to remind all of us that others have life a lot harder then we do, that we need to remember this when we pass people on the street.
How many times have we passed up a Salvation Army donation center, or another person who was collecting for the holidays or doing a drive another time during the year?
How many times have we gone to the grocery store and seen a sign “Donate a $1, $5 or more to the local food bank” and said “I can’t afford to do that”.
At our local Kroger through out the year they have donation tags you can purchase for food for the local food banks, not just during the holidays. I donate at least a $1 everytime I go, if that particular time I can donate more I do.

You may say “A $1.00 isn’t much.” but what if everyone who went to the store donated just $1.00 everytime they shopped.

How much money would go to the families that need the food, clothing, heat, or shelter?

How many lives would be changed?
The reason this story hit so close to me was at one point in my life my family depended on the generosity of strangers. My hubby wasn’t working, I was very ill trying to hold down 2 part time jobs and we had no food…I would try to get to the local food banks but without a running car I had to depend on people to take me. I remember watching my family eat and I didn’t eat, because I wanted to make sure my hubby and my kids had food first.
Many times when I would go to work my manager would have a huge plate of food for me, she always would tell me that “I packed too much food, here you go ahead and eat it.” I knew she didn’t want me to think it was charity…I am a proud person sometimes, but that she would think of me and give me some delicious homemade dinner to help me out was the best thing anyone could have done for me at that time.
Having been on the side of not enough money, not enough food, illness and so much more and having people all year long showing me random acts of kindness warms my heart.
Christmas time is when most people feel generous and when most people donate to organizations for the holidays, that is wonderful, but what about these families the rest of the year?
Can you do something for others more then just at the holidays?
It doesn’t just have to be about money either; a random smile, a shoulder for them to lean on, taking someone to the doctor’s, getting someone’s mail, telling someone you appreciate them, showing others that they are truly worth being here on earth and that things will eventually get better…just showing someone you care….even if all you do is smile at a stranger.I challenge everyone who reads this post to think “What can I do today to help someone else?”
Are you up to the challenge?
Post your thoughts and what random acts of kindness you will perform and remember this can happen anyday, anytime of the year…people need to know that they are thought about and loved…a smile will go a long way!
Random acts of kindness should not just be one day a year, or during a certain holiday…random acts of kindness should be everyday all year long.

Do you know someone online who has shown a random act of kindness to someone?  Given you encouragement?  Listened when you needed it?

Feel free to save this graphic to your computer and pass it on…please don’t link to graphic, right click and save to your computer.