Take a Break: Engage in Random Act of Kindness

The situation in Orlando is confusing, frightening and once again seems to throw everyone into a state of turmoil and asking many questions. In Anne Lamott’s post  following the Paris attacks, she said she wished there was a website we could turn to called “What it means, What is True, and What to do.”.... So where do we even begin today? What do we do when it feels like we are all doomed, and the future will only be worse, and we can't remember anything that ever helped us come through? Well, we have shards of truth, and we can gather them up, bits of broken mosaic tile that shine. We know that this is a very dangerous place, that we are an extremely vulnerable species, that Cain is still killing Abel. And yet also, that Love is sovereign here.

I thought about that, and while there are very practical things that are needed-such as blood donations and fundraising to help the people and families most impacted, it has a scaring effect on all of us. So today, take a break and practice random acts of kindness, particularly for someone you don’t know. It will help them and lift your heart a bit.

Need some examples?

• Complement someone on what they doing, saying how good they look etc.

• Volunteer to help out with something

• Donate items to a library, food shelf, school, hospital, shelter etc.

• Use your skills to help someone

• Pay it forward. Buy a slice of pizza (cup of coffee, sandwich etc.) for the next person in line

• Bring a healthy treat to: work; local library; health center or any place in your community that would enjoy it.

• Don’t write the angry Internet comment you are thinking about

• Put coins in an expired parking meter

• Turn off your cell phone and listen

• Befriend someone new to town

• Write, call or e-mail someone who has made a difference in their life and let them know that.

• Over tip your waitress and definitely drop something in the tip jar at the local coffee shop

• Smile at people on the street

• Pick up litter when you see it.

• Help a neighbor

• Write something nice on that person’s updates who posts on Facebook constantly. They’re probably lonely.

• Leave some extra quarters in the laundry room.

• Invite someone out for a meal

• Plant something

Little by little, act by act, we can help heal our own corners of the world, hopefully making it a safer and kinder world.