The debate is over, we’ve taken sides and that’s fine. We’re fortunate to live in a country where we get
to vote for whomever we choose.
However, any language or discussion that leads to anger and meanness is counter productive to
everything we do. Kindness can never be overrated, and it’s high time we look at how we can not only
tolerate the “other side” but how many ways we can demonstrate kindness to others on a daily basis.
While attending a convention recently I hadn’t eaten all day and I was starved. It was almost show time
and there was a concession with popcorn, which was going to be my dinner. I could smell the buttered
popcorn as the line inched closer to the window, and finally I got to the front of the line. I smiled, asked
for my popcorn while waving a $20 bill, and the clerk said “Sorry, we don’t take cash.” I was so stunned
(and hungry) that I repeated what he said like it just couldn’t be true.
Then, a man behind me said not to worry, he would pay for it. “Give her whatever she wants,” he said.
All I wanted was that one little bag of popcorn, and I went back to my seat feeling incredibly good and
appreciative. Acts of kindness can mean so much to someone, whether we’re the giver or the receiver.
May I suggest we look for opportunities to do small acts of kindness each day. If we start looking, it’s
amazing how many kindnesses we can find. As I write this, I recently came back from a trip to one of the
dollar stores near me. When I got near the counter to pay there was a man in front of me that probably
had 30 items in his cart. He looked at the woman behind him with a few items, and told her to go ahead
of him. He looked at me and did the same. Both of us must have told him thank you two or three times
because no one seems to do that these days. I plan to spend my weekend observing people and their
acts of kindness, and then do my best not to perform a random act of kindness, but ongoing and
continuous acts of kindness any chance I get.
