Random Acts of Kindness

I have been thinking of a new article to write and I came up with this. This can be good for when you're having a bad day, when you're sad, or upset, or just when you feel like doing something good. It's amazing how small, simple things can make your day brighter, along with making other people feel good.

I have recently been reading the Chicken Soup books, and have noticed how the small, or large, random acts of kindness have changed someone's life, whether it's something small like talking to an elderly lady that looks sad, or helping a terminal cancer patient just by being a friend. These books have inspired me to write this article.

Here is a couple of things any person can do on a daily or weekly basis to make someone else, along with him or her self, feel better about life.

When you see co-workers or classmates making fun of someone, there is never a good reason for it other than to make themselves feel bigger and better than anyone else. Stand up for the person in question, whether it's to say that you think the person is nice, or to tell the antagonizers that they are acting childish. Befriend the person in question. Ask them how their day is going, just say hi, ask them to join you for lunch, or something simple like that. You never know what you might accomplish. You could have just made a new friend by doing so.

Volunteer at your hospital or nursing home to visit with patients that don't have anyone. I'm sure there will be one person that would just like someone to talk to. Bring that person cards, pictures drawn by children, or flowers. You will have made someone's day just by showing that you care. You can also volunteer in the children's ward at a hospital. You could take the children drawing pads, crayons, or small toys that they can play with, or even old children's books that are no longer in use.

If you see someone that needs help with something, like an old lady at the store, take a couple minutes of your time to see if you can help. It might be something as simple as helping her reach something, or tell her that she's holding a can of chicken soup. Or maybe you'll see someone at a gas station that is short a couple dollars for the milk he or she wants to buy, or for the gas that has already been put in the tank of his or her vehicle. Surely you could spare a couple dollars to help that person out. They will never forget it.

Anonymously send flowers to someone you know that is going through a hard time. Maybe a loved one died, they lost a best friend, or maybe they just woke up "on the wrong side of the bed." It will change their outlook for the day, or maybe for a while, to know that someone cares enough to send flowers.

My only request is that you listen to the song, The Chain of Love, by Clay Walker, and use it to some extent in your life. You will be a better person for it, and you will have made a difference to someone in the world. And don't worry about what other people think of you for what you do. Just know that the random acts of kindness that you perform are what really matters.