Random Acts of Kindness

So, I love to watch the Food Network, and this weekend Ina (of the show _Barefoot Contessa_) was testing a recipe, but was at home alone and would not be able to eat the whole meal, so instead, she called a friend to ask if she could use a cooked three course dinner for her family that evening. Her friend was surprised and very pleased (who wouldn't be?!?), and I was struck at just how out of the ordinary it is that something like that happens to us in our daily lives. (Yes, I know this was likely staged for the sake of the show, but stay with me, here.)

Inspiration struck me yesterday morning in the Starbucks drive-through and I spent the rest of the day thinking about it. What if we all practiced random acts of kindness - maybe just commit to one each day - what kind of impact would that make?

You know how it makes you feel when you do something unexpected and thoughtful for another person, expecting nothing in return? At least for me, it is a feeling not replicated by anything else in life. But, somehow, in the busyness of life, I often overlook the opportunities all around me to make someone's day.

A few days ago, this news story played on our local station, and it struck me, too.



This lady went to great lengths to find the owner of this camera, and did it all not expecting anything in return, much less news coverage.

Won't you join me in "paying it forward"? As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, I'm going to take time each day to make someone's day (preferably a complete stranger).

If you're stumped for ideas, visit actsofkindness.org and go make a difference! :)