How To Make The World A Better Place?
Posted: Tuesday, March 31, 2009
by Camille Strate
JoyZAChoice
All around us, almost everywhere you turn, you can find 'proof' of disconnection. Walk down any city street, and watch to see how many (if any) people will actually look at you. Say hello to a stranger and watch their response. Try to help someone, what happens. It's a sad state of affairs, but one that is, indeed, worth the effort to change. Do you think you can't? I say you can.
"Together, we can grow Kindness. Please carry this with you. The next time you see someone do something kind for another, or the next time you do...give them this card. And ask them to do the same. Let's keep the flow of kindness growing! Pay it forward."
Now, I know how simple this sounds. And I know that there are those who'd "poo-poo" the gesture entirely. I don't care. What I know is that it works. One person at a time. It works. Every single time I've handed a card to someone, the look on their face was so beautiful, it made me feel like I'd just handed them a million dollars. And I'm not kidding. People like to be acknowledged. They like knowing that they matter. And I don't know a soul who doesn't want to be appreciated. These cards are symbols of that.
Before I go further, I'm going to share this story (that you may or may not heard before). It's one of my favorite stories, one that I carry with me whenver I think I don't matter. It goes like this:
A little boy was standing on the seashore, tossing Starfish into the ocean. The tides had gone out and there were hundreds of them stranded on the beach. One by one, the boy picked up the Starfish and threw them back into the water. A man, who was walking the beach, stopped to watch the boy. After a few moments, unable to repress his curiosity, he went over to the boy and asked, "Young man, what are you doing?"
The boy responded, "I'm saving the Starfish. If they don't get back into the water, they're going to die."
The man said, "Son, there's no way you're going to save them all. It doesn't matter. They're going to die."
Undaunted, the boy reached down again, tossed the Starfish into the water and said, "It mattered to that one."
So you think you don't matter? You think that one act of kindness won't matter? Think again.
Back to the point of this missive. Let's say you're getting ready for your day, to go to work or whatever it is you're going out to do. You grab your car keys AND some Kindness cards and get in your car to toodle off. Now, because you've got them with you, because you've consciously made the effort to bring your cards along for the ride, you're thinking about acts of kindness. You've got this thought on the front of your mind. So, you're toodling along and you're looking for someone who is either committing said act or someone who needs some help. It doesn't have to be big. It could be as simple as going to the coffee shop, buying your coffee and paying for the person behind you in line. It could be stopping to help an elderly person load their groceries into their car. Or letting the person in line with only a few items go ahead of you at the register. Maybe just knocking on a neighbor's door, because you know she or he has some malady and is unable to get out. You bring them a plate of cookies of a bunch of flowers you picked from your back yard or a simple little card to brighten their day. Nothing 'major' here. Just a little, simple act of Kindness.
Do you suppose this person will forget? Do you think they're going to dismiss this little act as 'nothing'? Even if it's some grumpy curmudgeon who may not show a reaction at all, it's likely that grump is going to remember. It might even be the only act of Kindness he or she has received in ages. You don't know. Either way, it WILL affect you. And, from my experience, it DOES affect the other person too. 9 out of 10 times. The thing is, I'm not doing it because I need thanks. I'm doing it because I know it's going to reverberate. I know the ripples will keep going out and out and out, reaching who-knows-where, simply because my intention was to do some Kindness. In other words, one person at a time, I matter. And they know they do too. Double bonus.
For now, I'll just plant this seed. I'll send out the 'hope' that you, too, will carry your Kindness cards and look for opportunities to give them away. It sure beats looking for the 'icky' stuff out there, doncha think? Oh...and by the way, if you're not inclined to make your own, you can find some on my website. There are several different 'designs' offered. And they're incredibly inexpensive! So, go have a look, won't you? And remember,
YOU have the power to change the world, one person at a time!
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Hi Camille.Great idea! I mean, sometimes we do get so wrapped up in our own lives that we forget about others. Carrying those cards would always remind us to look for where we can help out. And I love the story about the boy and the starfish.Big hugs,DianneThanks, Dianne. It's always a pleasure to hear from you!
What an awesome idea! It's the little things that make a big difference, isn't it?I am going to have to check out those cards!
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