A lonely woman eats dinner by herself. My friend, Andrew Hsieh, walks up to her with his hands behind his back. As she looks up, he hands her an elegant white rose and simply says, "Have a nice evening." Her face lights up with surprise and delight as she smells the rose while Hsieh walks away with a grin on his face.
Many, like Hsieh, practice random acts of kindness daily. At San Jose's Homestead High and online, groups are encouraging people to take the time to help others.
Online, there is a Random Acts of Kindness Facebook Group created by Ray Spence. A student at the University of Houston, Spence started the group after he realized the importance of showing appreciation to the people around him and the happiness he obtains from it.
"Random acts of kindness are just a very simple way to spread joy," he says.
"They can change people in small ways, for instance, when someone does an act of kindness for you, you tend to carry it with you throughout the day," said Spence.
I love the idea of how a simple gesture can make a person's day. Sure, it sounds cheesy, but in a world that can be full of negatives, watching someone make a nice gesture is all I need to make my day. Compliments are a great way to make people feel good about themselves.
No, I am not telling you to run around the streets proclaiming your love to strangers (although that would be nice). No, it is not necessary to donate every last penny of your money to a charity (although that would be nice). What I am telling you is that a simple act of kindness can produce so much goodwill.
At a toll station on a freeway, there is now a concept of paying for the car behind you. As the car behind you pulls up, the cashier informs them that they are already paid for. Such a simple act of kindness can be made for three dollars, and it is even more special since the car has no clue who the generous person is. Another example is the famous Oprah Winfrey, the billionaire talk show host, who is constantly giving extravagant gifts to her live audience.
In a new campaign called "free hugs," people hug strangers on the street. On YouTube, videos from Korea and other countries show people supporting the free hugs movement. This movement helps isolated people get tied back to society with a simple hug.
A smile can be infectious. In a world that is constantly enduring war and murder, I find it motivational to do something nice for someone else and hopefully put them in a better mood.
Which brings me to a pivotal question: why? The phrase, "A candle loses nothing when it lights another one," is an example of how that you don't lose anything by helping others.
Random acts of kindness will not end crime, wars, or sadness. What this kindness will create is a sense of confidence and trust in one another. When someone is in a good mood they are more likely to believe in their fellow man. A random act of kindness reduces stress, leading to a calmer atmosphere for all. In The Healing Power Of Doing Good: The Health and Spiritual Benefits of Helping Others, author Allan Luks noticed that consistent volunteering reduced stress.
My advice for you is to accomplish a good deed for someone every day. Before you go to sleep, think back on whether you have accomplished your Random Act of Kindness quota. If you haven't, go out there and do something nice for someone else. It's time we stop thinking only about ourselves.
Maybe, just maybe, the world will be a much better place with one random kind gesture at a time.