Random Acts of Kindness by Nancy Lee Shrader
Everyone is looking for the spice of life in one way or another. There is one way we can all spice our lives in a way that will bring joy to not only ourselves. Spice it up by committing yourself to doing just one act of kindness for another and that random act of kindness will always come full circle. Some people say a random act of kindness is to pay it forward—and on and on it goes. Random acts of kindness come in many forms, from helping an old woman cross the street or just an occasional smile. Think about the people you pass though life every day. Do some seem unhappy, afraid, or just plain sad—smile at them and see their mouths tilt in an upward motion. Sure there will be many who will frown and look in the opposite direction or even cross to the other side of the street, but the ones who smile back at you are the ones who have had their day brightened in just that short moment it took you to smile. Now that you have learned to smile; go out into the world and spread good cheer. Such as in the story of the old woman and the school boy who reached out to lend a helping hand.
School had let out on the South side of the city. It was a rough neighborhood with gangs theorizing its citizens daily. Many of the older people remembered when it was a quiet neighborhood of caring neighbors who watched out for their fellow man. Children were well behaved then, not like the punk kids that ran the streets, making their once quiet neighborhood a warzone.
Kathryn Landers usually didn’t venture out of her house this late in the afternoon, always steering clear of the hoodlums that roamed the streets threatening shopkeepers. She usually kept herself barricaded inside her little house, one of the oldest houses on the street. Her walkway used to be flower clad during the spring and summer and the scalloped window boxes under each window were graced with a rainbow of colored flowers. So many things had changed over the years. The window boxes had been replaced by metal bars on all the windows and three deadbolts on both doors. Why today of all days had she spent that extra time in Wilson’s fabric shop? Why did she stop at Frank’s fruit stand on the way home? She barely had enough strength to carry the bag of fabric she had purchased, not to mention the bag of yarn. She had just turned the corner onto her street when she heard a young male voice over top of all the hollering from Main Street.
“Ma’am may I help you carry your bags.” Said a young lad of about fourteen who had noticed Kathryn struggling with an armload of perishables, she had purchased at a corner fruit stand. Kathryn kept walking, hoping that the boy would get tired of following her and join his ruffian friends back on Main Street. She was almost home; her house was just across the street, but she was having difficulty walking with a cane in one hand and her other hand lugging her packages. Kathryn’s first impulse was dread, but fear soon filled her mind. She feared this youth who was dressed in a fashion that didn’t appeal to a woman from her generation—then he smiled. It wasn’t the leering grin she was used to from the neighborhood hoodlums; it was a gentle smile. She looked into those bright young eyes and somehow she knew that he wasn’t to be feared.
“Why yes, young man, I could use a hand.” Kathryn said and relinquished her packages into his strong young hands. With his other arm he assisted her in crossing the street. Then he stood holding her bags as she unlocked the three deadbolts and then carried her bags inside. She opened her purse and offered to pay him for his good deed, but he backed away refusing her money.
“Ma’am, I was just glad to be able to help. You see I have a grandmother who lives far away from here. I hope that someone is helping her as I helped you today.” He turned to leave and then turned back and said. Ma’am, I will keep an eye on your place and make sure no one bothers you. I will watch for you whenever you are out shopping at this time in the afternoon. You will always be safe when I’m around.” She thanked him again and he left, but waited outside the door until he heard all three deadbolts click.
Besides the good deed this young man performed, it was the smile that began the trust between them. If everyone could find it in themselves to extend to others a smile and single act of kindness, what a different world this would be.
Other acts of kindness that will be remembered by others are saying please and thank you during a normal conversation. Stepping aside and allowing someone with a disability to move to the front of the line, and then offering to carry her plate to the table. Someone who forgot their bag lunch; you offer to share yours. You are in a long line of traffic and you see someone trying to turn in the direction in which you are traveling and you safely come to a stop and motion them to pull in front of you. There are so many ways a person can show a random act of kindness. Remember each time you show kindness to others; it will have a ripple effect and that person just might do a kindness for the next person that cross their path. Now just imagine that every person in the world decided to do just one act of kindness each day. That ripple effect will turn into a flood of kindness and goodwill and soon you will be meeting smiles everywhere you go. Just imagine.
Nancy Lee Shrader resides in Beckley, West Virginia. She is author of three books IS IT NOW? The End of Days! IS HE MESSIAH? Messianic Prophecies Revealed! And The Curse of Mayweather House Nancy Lee also writes for Amazon.com. To her credit, she has twenty-one Shorts to date on the Amazon website. She is a member of the West Virginia Writers’ Union, Appalachian Writers’ Guild and belongs to a Writers’ group at the Raleigh County Library. Web: www.freewebs.com/booksbynancyleeshrader
