You read a lot about random acts of kindness, small things such as paying for someone’s order in the drive through line at Dunkin Donuts, or grand gestures such as donating a truckload of toys for at-risk children at Christmas. These are wonderful things, and they absolutely make people happy.

I wish, however, that we could gain a collective mindset to be kind all the time. Rather than have to think about a specific, isolated incident of kindness, what if we built it into our day to day lives? Smile at the toddler at the table next to you, hold open a door for the person behind you, hold the elevator for someone approaching. These are simple things, but when offered with a smile, can change the trajectory of another’s day.

A few years ago, I learned about a movement to honor a woman who was a friend and co-worker to many of my colleagues at Verizon. She had changed many lives for the better with her quiet and unheralded acts of kindness. At her passing from cancer, a movement was started named for her life’s motto: Be kinder than necessary. Bumper stickers were created, and photos flooded in from all over the world with celebrities and regular folks alike, holding the memorial sticker. The sticker has graced my car since that day, and the slogan has changed my approach to the world. Not that I don’t forget, or have bad days, or get angry, I do. But I try to remember that everyone is facing their own private struggle; to be kind is not difficult, and can make all the difference for another.

Please, join me, my friends.

This post is part of the Brave, Bold, Blogger Challenge (BBBC) issued by my moto-blog friend Kathy, aka ToadMama, to cover 28 blog prompts in the month of February. And good for undisciplined me, no rules either.

Toadmama’s Challenge

Prompt: Random act of kindness