“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.” –Seneca
This week’s theme is intended to help you to experience how it feels to do something kind when reciprocation is not likely. Please extend a kindness action to a stranger, someone you do not know on a personal level. Typically, these are the people you pass by or hear about as you go on with your day. It’s holding the elevator door open for someone. It’s anonymously buying coffee for someone behind you in line at the coffee shop. It’s going to the library and putting up money for the next $10 worth of fines. That sort of thing.
For an extra challenge this week, try completing a spontaneous kind act for a stranger each day. These are fairly easy to perform as opportunities to do so are being presented to us any time we encounter another person. They can be as simple as a smile. As you perform them this week, I encourage you to put your heart into the action and let the act of doing so warm you. And for a super-duper double bonus challenge, try to plan in advance and then perform one slightly larger kind act for someone you do not know.
Kind Living 
I love Fish Astronaut’s drawing for this week – the image works on so many levels – black and white, red representing unique, not touching but looking at each other. Thanks to him for giving us further insight into these classes.
I have one from today 🙂
As I walked home with my son from school, I noticed a girl trying to catch a dog (who was running around loose). It had run towards us barking – and onto the road – with her running fast behind it. She tackled it, but it ran away. She chased after it – which was the opposite direction to where we were walking.
I watched for a moment, and saw that she had caught it. However I knew in my heart that I wanted to help her. So my son and I turned around and went back where we came from to catch up with her. I found her sitting on the footpath holding the dog (and talking on the phone). I asked her if she was okay, and needed help. She said no, that she was fine.
I am glad that I went to at least try though. Although I felt that it was the only decent thing to do, and didn’t involve an intentional act of kindness, so I will try again tomorrow 🙂
Meg
I’m sure she felt a glow of warmth from your offer….
Thank you Linda! 🙂
Wednesday’s act:
Walking to school this morning, I noticed a lady walking towards us from the operate direction. The path was quite narrow, and considering I was wearing sneakers (and she was wearing high heels), I moved off the path to allow her to walk past.
She was on the phone, and didn’t seem to notice (or acknowledge) it, but it doesn’t matter. I still felt wonderful as a result doing something kind 🙂