Random Acts of Kindness
As we head into the holidays, I’ve been thinking about something. And in the spirit of what you’re about to read, I decided to share it.
It’s the time of year when our focus turns to scouring for the perfect gift to
give. It’s stressful for sure, not to mention time consuming and sometimes downright irritating. We become task-obsessed and manic list crossers-off.
I’ve been taught it is better to give than receive and I truly believe that to be true. In fact, I’ve often said that sometimes the ‘wanting’ is actually better than the ‘having’. Think about that one for a minute.
(And no, I’m not going to get all Zen on you. But just think about all the studies that suggest the journey to some sort of gratification is better than the gratification itself.)
Anyway.
I’m sure you’ve heard about Oprah’s Favorite Things and how she gives away massive amounts of gifts to her entire audience. Seems very generous doesn’t it? I’ve often wondered if it’s the vendors who are giving by donating their products to her show and Oprah is the vehicle of distribution for them. I’ve never validated that theory, but in this world where image is paramount, it wouldn’t surprise me much. I’m not knocking her for doing it by any means, but it is presented to us, the viewers, that Oprah is spending millions and millions on her audience.
We can all cite numerous celebrities and movie stars who publicize their generosity, charities, and the like. Again, the cynical me wonders about their true intention. Multi-millionaires and billionaires need tax write offs and I suppose donations and establishing charitable foundations help. With that type of wealth, I’d most likely do the same thing.
When we give gifts during this holiday season, it is fulfilling to see the faces of the ones you love break into a smile and express their gratitude for the gift. It is also gratifying to take food to a soup kitchen, or adopt a family during the holidays. But in most cases, you never see the recipient of your good deed.
But if you put aside the cynicism and trying to examine what corporate intentions are where, you get left with one thing: yourself. So the question becomes, what do you do to help seed gratitude?
This past year, I started a personal Random Act of Kindness Day. What is that? I started by paying for the drive-through order for the car behind me at my favorite coffee establishment. It’s sort of exciting because you have no idea how much it’s going to be, who the people or person is in the car or what kind of day they are having. But, I know if someone did that for me, I’d feel better about people and it would put a smile on my face. It would also make me want to do something similar for someone else. You see? It’s contagious! Pay it forward.
Now, if I’m walking around downtown shopping and happen to notice that a parking meter is about to expire, I’ll drop a quarter in to give that person a little more time. If I see a Senior struggling with a gas pump or ATM or just having a rough time trying get across a parking lot, I try to help. My point here is not to get accolades for being a good-hearted person (if that’s your driver, you’re, um, sorta missing the point), but I feel good inside knowing that by showing some kindness, someone else is going to have just a little bit better day. With any luck, this spirit spreads, and we all get knocked from our self-absorbed routines a little bit.
Give from your heart and treat others like you want to be treated – if we all pick a day and give kindness randomly, I think our world would be happier. Try it! It’s not hard or expensive, and opportunities are everywhere. Just look around.
Happy holidays, everyone!
###
MIPRO Consulting is a nationally-recognized consulting firm specializing in PeopleSoft Enterprise (particularly Enterprise Asset Management) and Business Intelligence. You’re reading MIPRO Unfiltered, its blog. If you’d like to contact MIPRO, email is a great place to start, or you can easily jump over to its main website. If you’d like to see what MIPRO offers via Twitter or Facebook, we’d love to have you.
More opinion posts.
