A Year of Smiles – Day 313

Reason to SMILE #313: WORLD KINDNESS DAY

Today, November 13th, is World Kindness Day and once again, I didn’t get the memo. I seriously need a better calendar.

<Sigh>

Why isn’t World Kindness Day on my calendar, anyway?  Why didn’t I get an alert on my phone? Shouldn’t days like World Kindness Day and World Smile Day be highlighted and celebrated? Where are the decorations, the cookies, the cakes, the parades? Where is the news media? How cool would it be to turn on the TV and only see stories of people around the world performing random acts of kindness or to open up your twitter feed and only find encouraging and uplifting tweets, words of kindness and not hate!

The problem is kindness doesn’t bring in the big bucks. It doesn’t draw the crowds or stir our interests and keep us coming back for more. It’s a shame really. Doesn’t the media know that the more stories of kindness they share, the more they are encouraging others to be kind? Don’t they realize the influence they have in this world?

I’m afraid they do.

Well, I refuse to let this day go unnoticed. The fact that we have a World Kindness Day makes me SMILE.  And I am more than happy to celebrate by finding more and more ways to be kind to others. I say it so often but it is so true: It takes very little effort to be kind to others. In fact, when we show kindness to others, those others tend to pass that kindness along. Just like dropping a pebble in the water causes ripples to grow and grow, our acts of kindness can cause a ripple effect throughout the world.

So, what are you waiting for? Go be kind today. And if you already show kindness wherever you go, try to find new and exciting ways to spread kindness today. With kindness comes SMILES and the more the world is SMILING, the kinder it will be.

Find out more about World Kindness Day by clicking here.

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P.S. If you’re paying close attention, you know that my Days don’t line up with the actual calendar days. Today, November 13th, is actually Day 317 of this year. Yes, I’m 4 days behind but Thanksgiving is next week – there are about 25 SMILES in one Thanksgiving Dinner. There’ll be plenty of opportunity to catch up!! 😉

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A Year of Smiles – Day 258

Reason to SMILE #258: KINDNESS

There are times in life when everything is suddenly put into perspective, when all the frivolities that consume our thoughts and our time fade away in the light of what truly matters.  I am experiencing one of those times and I’m not even sure I can convey what I am feeling to you.

After finalizing a few details with a client today, the client thanked me for the work I have done. I responded with my typical, “It was no problem, at all. I’m glad we could help.” He replied, “No, you don’t understand.” Then he began to explain all that he has endured this past year. From divorce to being homeless for more than four months, his year has been rough to say the least. “You’ve been kinder to me and done more to help me than anyone else has. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you and everyone in your office.”

It was all I could do to keep from crying while on the phone with this man. (I’m having a pretty tough time keeping the tears from flowing as I write this now!)

After our conversation, I thought back over the past two months and all that I’ve done for this client. The odd thing is I haven’t done anything out of the ordinary.  I haven’t shown him special consideration. I’ve spoken with him like I do anyone else. I’ve taken his calls. I’ve listened to him and answered his questions as thoroughly and clearly as I could. I’ve performed the work he has engaged my office to do with as much accuracy and as timely as possible. I’ve treated him like a human being, like I would anyone else, like I would want to be treated. Yet, to this man, my actions and the way I have interacted with him have been the most kindness he’s seen in some time. It has made a difference in his life.

Wow!

I don’t know how else to react. I am humbled. I am grateful that I was able to help this client. I am convicted. So many times, I see my “day job” as simply a job, a way to pay the bills. I do take pride in my work. I like to do things right! But I never look at what I do at the office as making a difference in anyone’s life. I do the work. The attorney gets the credit and that’s that. ( 😉 ) Today, I have seen that no matter the importance (or lack of importance) of my title, the only thing that matters is how I treat others, how I share the love of God in everything I do and say.

Kindness – it’s doesn’t take much effort. But any effort it may take is certainly worth it. You never know what the person behind you in the check-out line, beside you on the church pew, in front of you at the theater or on the other end of the phone is going through. Your kindness, simply treating others with decency and love, could make a world of difference in another’s life. And I know without a doubt that it will create some SMILES – for others and for you!