Random Acts of Kindness

A few months ago I started reading some articles that talked about random acts of kindness. I've never been good about celebrating birthdays, but all these posts gave me an idea. Next month I'll be celebrating my 30th (grooooooaaaaannn!) birthday. I don't care about having a party. I don't care about presents. What I'd like to do is perform 30 random acts of kindness for other people. I've been thinking about this for a while now, trying to put some kind of plan together (I know plan and random don't exactly go together, so maybe it will just be 30 regular acts of kindness). I have quite a few ideas in mind, but the big thing is that thinking about this project has put me in a different mindset. I've been trying to notice the little things that people do throughout their everyday lives. You know those grocery store clerks that are genuinely interested when they ask how you're doing, the random stranger that tells you your kids are adorable, the nice person that holds the door open for you when they see your arms are full. People are doing nice things ALL around us ALL the time. All we have to do is open our eyes and see it. How many times have you had a terrible day completely turned around simply because some random person SMILED at you? How difficult is it to pass that ray of sunshine on to someone else? It may make all the difference in the world to someone to see a smile.

 

I don't know if this was random, or simply because I tend to take my kids to a certain fast food restaurant WAY too often, but I was in the drive through yesterday putting in our usual order. When I came to the window, the lady opened it, gave me my total, looked at me and said, 'I'm giving YOU a discount!' I was floored! Of course I thanked her profusely, and that simple act of kindness, that 10% discount that really only made about a 50 cent difference, meant the world to me. Such a simple thing, and yet my day was exponentially brightened.

 

And then, add to that a phone call from my supervisor at work made to tell me that they had approved a few hours of time off for me so that I could attend my team Christmas party rather than sit home embittered that they were all having fun without me. Acts of kindness are EVERYWHERE! It's amazing, when you shift the way you see, when you go out in life intentionally looking for good things, you will find them. Simple as that.

 

"What Right Have You to be Dismal? You're Rich Enough"

This simple quote from Charles' Dickens' classic story, "A Christmas Carol" never really touched me until today. Truly, what right have I to be dismal? We have so much in life to be grateful for, and it's so easy to take those things for granted. All too often, little stumbling blocks in our path cause us to lose focus on what is truly important.

 

Over the past few months, I have lost my focus many times. My perspective often became distorted and at times I forgot about all the good in my life. I have so much to be thankful for! When I slow down and truly allow the weight of the love, beauty and all around good that surrounds me to penetrate my heart, I realize that I don't need to pursue happiness. I live in happiness.

 

Above all, I am blessed to be able to call the most amazing people family. I am married to a man who I am convinced loves me better than any other man has ever loved his wife. His unending support and patience for me is humbling. I am surrounded by three incredible children that bring with them an entirely new depth to my joy. They love me unconditionally, even on my crabby days when I don't get enough sleep and I look like a frump. They don't care! I am their mommy and they love me.

 

There is also a fun loving mob of 28 more parents, siblings, nephews and nieces that bring light into my life, I have a roof over my head, my husband and I both have jobs that are stable, friends that know what to say and how to listen, good health, talents (along with the opportunity to increase those talents), life's lessons learned and those yet to be experienced, and a testimony of Christ's Atonement.

 

I'm done with the pursuit of happiness. I'm ready to be happy. Today and every day. I'm ready to try new things and add rich new experiences to my life. Though there may still be days that I forget to see all that is around me, I am determined to move forward, making my life a positive addition to the world. I'm starting today to do and be better. To love and accept myself for who I am (and to invest the time and energy to find out who exactly that is).

Forget pursuit. Just be happy.