::Random Acts of Kindness::

 

My heart is telling me to do something worthwhile, to make a change, to do something that is bigger than  myself.  In the midst of trying to come up with ideas to fulfill these heart taps (that is what I call them when God is trying to get my attention), grandiose ideas started floating through my head. Then I realized that usually the smallest gestures go a long way....

When people have gone out of their way to do something nice for me it really makes me feel loved and appreciated. Moments like these are cherished and unexpected.  My entire family was sick recently and a friend came to the rescue to help.  That will always be noteworthy to me because it is rare for people to go out of their way when we are sick.

Stories of strangers helping each other out always make me get mushy and teary-eyed.  In a past post I shared a story about a homeless man, Billy Ray Harris, sticking to his morals. He returned an item that meant the world to a stranger.  Like I said, it's the little things that count. Check out the blog post here: Made for More

The great thing that came out of this story was that the Pay It Forward spirit came into play. The homeless man did something totally unexpected to cheer someone up.  Then the receiver did something incredible in return.  She raised $172,000 for Billy Ray Harris and he is not living on the streets anymore.  Lots of people took part in raising the funds for this man, and I am sure this man will forever be grateful for the love strangers showed him.

So I am sure you are wondering what the main point of this post is... Yes, it is about realizing the kindness of others, but it goes deeper than that. It's about helping others and finding joy along the way.

I am making a pact to PAY IT FORWARD!

As often as I can, I will make an effort to do random acts of kindness--for friends, for family, for strangers.  It brings me so much joy to put a smile on someone's face. It's priceless. I may not have a lot of money to give. I  may not be a social butterfly to start a pep rally for this. I may not have all the resources available to make a huge difference.  But one little act of kindness will be remembered forever.

Another idea for this is to include my blog info on the Random Acts of Kindness gift, in hopes that the recipient will find their way to my blog to share their experience.  What a wonderful way to hear encouraging stories and hear how it made them feel. 

Whose joining me in this challenge?

Please feel free to be motivated by this quest, and I hope you will take the challenge as well. I will share this journey with you as I try to cheer up others along the way.  If you decide to tag along, please share your stories with me and how you paid it forward. 

I would love if you included my blog address on your Random Acts of Kindness gift, telling the recipient to share their experience on the blog. What a great way to see how it impacted someone and to share sweet stories together.  

Also, you can email your own stories and/or photos about your Random Acts of Kindness and I would love to do a follow-up post about how we are sharing happiness with others! You can also share your stories in the comment section below :) Whatever works for you.

Email: EHermesch@gmail.com