I was paying for jeans at JCPenney the other day and the young cashier was doing everything possible to help me save money. After discovering I had no coupons or discounts, he finally told me what I owed, and I paid. He then shocked me by looking me in the eye and asking, “If you could have one super power, what would it be?”
Caught off guard I thought for a moment and then said the first thing that came to mind, “I’d like to be kind to everyone I meet.” He turned to me, smiled and said “You already have that power.”
He made my day. And as I went on to my next errand, smiling broadly, a woman and I locked eyes and we both said something to the effect of we knew each other from somewhere. I responded that I couldn’t remember where, but I knew she was kind. Which made her smile broadly, and I’m guessing she passed it on.
Kindness is contagious, and in an environment where we haven’t a clue what people are going through, it’s a salve that makes everything more manageable, helps our days run more smoothly and can mean a great deal to someone who needs it (which is most of us).
Ask yourself, would you rather be right, or kind today? It takes so little to pause, consider your response, and then choose kindness.
