My family and I have been on the receiving end of a lot of kindness this past year. From large gestures of service that helped us get through losses, to small random acts that remind us we are in others’ thoughts. We have an incredible amount of things and people to be grateful for. I have a tendency to struggle with the right words or way to show how much we appreciate our support system; whether it be family and family friends or complete strangers. I thought perhaps one way would be to publicly express our thanks and to forever record a handful of ways I’ve seen love and support not only in my own life but also in the moments I’ve witnessed kindness in the world.
Kindness in the World
-It’s the child at the playground helping a peer up from a fall. Whoever is raising you is doing a beautiful job teaching kindness.
-It’s the random bear hug.
-Thank you, you who paid for my coffee from the front of the line. It’s not that you thought I couldn’t afford it. It’s that you thought of me, a stranger, at all.
-The friend who left a gift card at my front door just because transformed a busy day from frustrating to calm by reminding me to pause and breathe.
-It’s the busboy who chased us down in the parking lot so we wouldn’t leave the take-home boxes at our table there by accident.
-It’s the person who smiles and holds the door open for us. We appreciate your kindness.
-Thank you to the cashier who asked if they could give my daughter a sticker. After being stuck in my head all morning, you bringing a smile to her face brought the first smile to mine that day.
-For the friend who made “too much” dinner and insisted on dropping off a portion, taking just one thing off my to-do list was immeasurably appreciated.
-It’s finding a quarter left in the shopping cart at Aldi when you forget your own.
-It’s the impromptu play dates that are so kind and save your sanity.
-When I get tagged in a social media post that makes me giggle, you have no idea how much I needed a laugh right then.
-It seems to be precisely when our daughter starts to outgrow her clothes that my husband’s coworker brings him a bag of hand-me-downs unannounced or a package of new PJs appears from our parents.
-Each time a message comes in simply to say hi and ask how we are, I can go from feeling invisible and silly to feeling silly I ever thought I was invisible.
-The friend who insists on taking my daughter for a few hours is my lifeboat when I’m drowning in a seemingly infinite sea of chores.
-It’s seeing someone reach a long-sought-after goal and having hundreds of the people they know cheer them on.
-It warms my heart when a friend sends a few pictures they took of me and my daughter while we were out and unaware of being photographed. There aren’t enough genuine candids in my files of me and her. Thank you.
-It’s an empathetic listener.
-It’s your parents telling you they’re proud of you.
-It’s the simple question “What can I do to help?”
Thank You
I see it in the relief on someone’s face when another does the exact thing they needed, especially when they didn’t know they needed it at all. I know I’ve felt that weight lifted from my shoulders many times when someone offers a random act of kindness. And I couldn’t be more grateful for all of you who have gifted that to me and my family this year. I hope we can pay it back. I hope we can pay it forward.
For more ways to spread kindness, click here!
