Practice Random Acts of Kindness

One morning I was out for a walk. Passing through a convenience store parking lot, I looked down on the pavement and saw a scratch off lottery ticket that had already been scratched off. For no particular reason I picked it up. It appeared to be a $1.00 winner, so I took inside and gave it to the attendant. He informed me it was in fact a $3.00 winner. After putting it into his machine, he gave me my winnings. I told him, “I always said I would be just about as likely to find a winning lottery ticket blowing around a parking lot as I would buying a winning ticket.” We both had a good laugh and I went on my way.

That is what most people mean when they use the word, luck. We have little or no control over that kind of luck. However, it is one of life’s ironies we can control that kind of luck in others. Just think, today you could be the luckiest thing that happens to someone else. Around the area where I live, I frequently see bumper stickers that state, “Practice Random Acts of Kindness.” What I wonderful idea. I can choose to go through live being a blessing instead of a curse. I can choose to use words of blessings rather than curses, even when discussing my enemies. Hmmm. I can do that? I can choose to give a coworker more credit than he deserves when discussing a test with management or I can hog it all for myself. I can use words of understanding and acceptance when I listen to the young or lecture them about what they are doing that is wrong. Blessings cost you nothing but they can make a positive difference in another’s life.

You can even practice random acts of kindness. Once I was walking down the street on my way to a meeting with some relatively unpleasant people. I wasn’t in a good mood. I noticed a parking meter was just about ready to run out and that there was a meter maid just up the street writing tickets. For no particular reason, I fished a coin out of my pocket and stuck it into the parking meter. It made me feel good on a bad day. I was probably the luckiest thing that happened to the owner of that car on that particular day, as I expect he was stuck in his own unpleasant meeting.

A variation on the bumper sticker reads practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty. Could you buy your secretary a small arrangement of flowers for no particular reason? She doesn’t need to know where they came from, just that someone cared.

“Reflect on the benefits of a loving heart. Buddhist texts say: Your dreams become sweeter, you waken more easily, men and women will love you, angels and devils will love you. If you lose things they will be returned. People will welcome you everywhere when you are forgiving and loving. Your thoughts become pleasant. Animals will sense this and love you. Elephants will bow as you go by—try it at the zoo!” (Jack Kornfield)

Maybe if you do these kinds of little things often enough it will change your heart into something more. You might become one of those people described in the Indian proverb.

Great rivers, shady trees, medicinal plants, and virtuous people are not born for themselves, but for the good of mankind in general.