Foreword:
Kindnessisapowerfulthing.Ithastheabilitytochangepeople'slives,tomakethemfeellovedandcaredfor.Sometimes,asmallactofkindnessisallittakestoturnsomeone'sdayaround.ThisisastoryaboutonesuchactofkindnessthatIwitnessedfirsthand.
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Itwasacoldwintermorning,andIwasonmywaytoworkwhenIsawanoldmanstrugglingtocarryhisheavygroceries.Hewastryinghisbesttomakeittohiscar,butitwasclearthathewasstruggling.AsIwalkedpasthim,Icouldn'thelpbutfeelsorryforhim.
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IwasabouttocontinueonmywaywhenIheardayoungwoman'svoicecallingouttotheoldman.Shehadparkedhercarnearbyandhadrushedovertohelphim.Together,theyloadedthegroceriesintothecar,andtheoldmanlookedrelieved.
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Theyoungwoman'skindactdidn'tgounnoticed.Afewpeoplewhohadbeenpassingbystoppedtowatch,andIsawsmilesontheirfaces.Itwasasmallactofkindness,butithadabigimpactoneveryonewhowitnessedit.
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AsIcontinuedonmyway,Icouldn'thelpbutthinkaboutthepowerofkindness.It'seasytogetcaughtupinourownlivesandforgetaboutothers,butwhenwetakethetimetoshowkindnesstosomeoneelse,itcanmakeallthedifference.
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Laterthatday,Iarrivedatworktofindthatmycolleague,Sarah,wasfeelingdown.Shehadbeengoingthroughatoughtime,anditwasclearthatsheneededsomecheeringup.
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Irememberedtheyoungwoman'sactofkindnessanddecidedtodosomethingsimilarforSarah.IboughtherfavoritesnacksandleftthemonherdeskwithanotetellingherhowmuchIappreciatedher.
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Thenextday,Sarahcameuptomeandthankedmeforthegesture.Shesaidithadmadeherdayandthatshefeltmuchbetterknowingthatsomeonecaredabouther.
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Thatsmallactofkindnesshadarippleeffect.Sarahwentontodosomethingkindforsomeoneelse,andsoon.Itjustgoestoshowhowpowerfulasimpleactofkindnesscanbe.
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Astheweekswentby,Istartedtonoticemoreandmoreactsofkindnesshappeningaroundme.Peoplewereholdingdoorsopenforeachother,offeringtocarryheavybags,andevenjustsmilingatstrangers.
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Itwasheartwarmingtoseethatpeopleweretakingthetimetocareforeachother.Itmademerealizethatkindnessisn'tjustsomethingweshoulddoeveryonceinawhile–it'ssomethingweshouldstrivetodoeveryday.
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Oneday,IwasonthebuswhenIsawayoungboysittingalone,lookingsad.Hewaswearingabackpackandhadhisheaddown,lostinthought.
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Idecidedtositnexttohimandstrikeupaconversation.Itturnedoutthathehadjustmovedtotheareaandwasfeelinglonely.Wetalkedforawhile,andItriedmybesttomakehimfeelwelcome.
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Whenwegotoffthebus,Isawhimwalktowardshisnewschoolwithasmileonhisface.Itwasasmallmoment,butitmeantalottobothofus.
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AsIwalkedtoworkthatday,Irealizedthatkindnessisn'tjustaboutdoingsomethingniceforsomeoneelse–it'saboutmakingaconnectionwiththem.It'sabouttakingthetimetolistenandcareforsomeoneelse.
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Intoday'sfast-pacedworld,it'seasytoforgetabouttheimportanceofhumanconnection.Butwhenweshowkindnesstoothers,we'rebuildingthoseconnectionsandmakingtheworldabetterplace.
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Asthedayswenton,Icontinuedtoseeactsofkindnessallaroundme.Fromastrangerhelpinganelderlypersoncrossthestreettosomeonebuyingamealforahomelessperson,kindnesswaseverywhere.
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Itremindedmethatnomatterhowsmallouractionsmayseem,theycanhaveabigimpact.Theycanchangesomeone'sday,oreventheirlife.
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Irealizedthatkindnessislikearippleinapond.Itstartswithonesmallact,butitcanspreadfarandwide,touchingcountlesslivesalongtheway.
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AsIsatathomethatevening,reflectingontheeventsoftheday,IfeltgratefulforalltheactsofkindnessthatIhadwitnessed.Itgavemehopeforthefutureandremindedmethatthereisstillsomuchgoodintheworld.
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Irealizedthatkindnessissomethingwecanalldo,nomatterwhoweareorwherewecomefrom.Itdoesn'tcostanything,butitcanmeaneverythingtosomeoneelse.
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Solet'sallmakeanefforttoshowkindnesstootherseveryday.Whetherit'ssomethingsmalllikeholdingopenadoororsomethingbiggerlikevolunteeringatalocalshelter,everyactofkindnesscounts.
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Together,let'smaketheworldakinderplace,onesmallactatatime.
