April 1, 2011

Random Acts of Kindness

This was going to be an IWIWT post, however, I just experienced something that I want to write about.

So, as per usual lately, I have been kind of blue (I'm going with the fact that winter has not left the building... just go already, you have overstayed your welcome!) and I read an article today that just compounded that feeling of despair and added on a side of lost faith in humanity.  I don't even want to link to the article or tell you what it was about because it was so terrible and demoralizing and completely horrific that I would not want to subjugate you to whatever goes beyond that link.  Instead, I'll tell you I read it on Rolling Stone's website if you're at all curious (trust me, it will only make you sad and sick)... but let's get back to my story.

Photo credit.

So I'm blue, which we've established (for like the past three weeks) and I'm running an errand for work which means I have to go to a different building on campus (I work at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities for all you stalkers... I mean curious folk out there).  And since it's winter/spring-not-so-much-ish there is a TON of construction everywhere, so at one point I detoured through a building.  

Now, as I'm walking up to the building I am one person and another person is walking behind me.  I am closer to the guy in front of me than I am to the guy behind (like pretty close, like he could have held the door open for me kind of close) but instead he just whips the door open quickly and I reach out with my arm to stop it from closing.  While I do that I see the reflection of the guy behind me being mirrored in the glass, and though he's not super close to me, he's not so far behind me either; he was kind of in that gray area of "do I" or "don't I" hold the door for him thought, with him probably being more on the latter end of it (like if I let the door close I would have been within proper door-holding protocol).  Well, I decide to wait a beat or two and be all polite and hold the door for him, and he thanks me, and of course since every building on campus has two sets of doors before walking in the building, I hold the second set for him too (because I already waited for the first door, not holding the second would have just been rude).  And remember all the while, I'm a glum glum gal.

Anyway, I'm rambling.  So he says thank you for both and I say you're welcome for both and this random act of kindness I performed made me feel a little better.  Not that I did them for selfish reasons, I was just thinking about how I want the world to be kinder in general and I guess I'm a firm believer in treating others how you want to be treated and karma and just overall passing on positivity.

And I was hoping that maybe he'll pay it forward and be kind to someone else today.  (Did I mention that I smiled at him, because I did, it wasn't too grand, but I think a smile can do so much sometimes and it's polite and shows appreciation).

Photo credit.
After we get through the doors he walks on by me, because he is walking briskly and I'm the glum glum girl who's shuffling her feet, but we're both headed to the doors that are up a flight of stairs on the other side of the building.  In a flash he's already up the stairs opening the door and I'm just reaching the stairs, when he stops mid-door opening, turns and waits for me to climb the stairs and walk to the door, and he says with a nice smile (and a sassy Spanish accent), "Now it's my turn!" and he holds both sets of doors open for him and I give him a big genuine, grateful smile and two "Thank yous."

For some reason, this made me feel good and made me feel that maybe, just maybe the world isn't sinking down into a state of negative oblivion (I'm only mildly dramatic, I swear).  It was just a nice gesture and put a smile on my face when I truly needed one.

So thank you sassy Spanish man (perhaps you are not Spanish, but your accent was divine and my accent-figuring-out abilities are minimum so I apologize) for being kind to me and making me smile!

Photo credit.
I truly believe the above statement!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I definitely agree with you. Kindness can change so much in our world.

And I highly suggest the kindness cure for a bad day. Whenever I'm having a difficult day I go out of my way to be kind to people and it always cheers me.

One of my favorite quotes in the same vein is: "Good deeds delivered gently can eliminate evil." -Narayana Murthy

btw - I really enjoy your blog. You're doing a great job!

Mama MonsterRat said...

Thanks! I appreciate the positive feedback!