Random Acts of Kindness

Besides feeling great and being a genuinely good person, do something kind––just to do it. Here are some things I like to do:

• When you pay your toll at the toll booth, pay for the person behind you.

• When you get on your city bus or train, pay for the person behind you who looks like they are having a challenging day.

Just don’t let the recipients of your kindness know it came from you. The point is to do it just to make someone else feel good—and as a surprise. The bonus is that you will also feel great.

One time, I was having lunch with my dear friend, Jon Lambert (who is now looking down from heaven), in Germany, when we saw a group of soldiers who were on leave and having some sort of a gathering together. Before we left our meal, Jon said to the manager, “I would like to pay for all of them, but don’t tell them, please.” There were 25 of them! When we were leaving, however, the soldiers caught up with us. The smiles, hugs, and pure gratitude were, as my friend Jon said, “Were worth their total weight in gold and many times the cost of the lunch!”

Another time, as I was leaving the hairdressers, it started pouring down rain. I always carry an umbrella with me and sometimes two, and the woman next to me didn’t have one and had to get to a meeting. I turned to her as I was walking to my car and said, “Here you go, and you can give it to someone else when they need an umbrella!”

Make someone feel good and it comes back to you!

Have a warm and wonderful holiday!