Do you remember the commercial on television which started with one person stopping another from stepping into traffic and getting hit by a car? A second person sees it and it begins a chain of people keeping others from harm throughout the day.  It comes full circle and the one who started it is helped by someone else.

I was listening to a talk that reminded me of that commercial.  The speaker was talking about doing “random acts of kindness.”   His point was that random acts are spontaneous acts that no one expects.  So when they happen, they cause a chuckle or a smile.  They lift spirits.  They make the world a better place.

He was speculating on what might happen if a team of people would go out and perform intentional acts of kindness.  If random acts created joy and goodwill, wouldn’t intentional acts improve the environment even more?

I think he’s probably right.

The acts of kindness which stand out to me go beyond courtesy.  Let me give you a couple of examples:

• When someone does something for me which isn’t in their job description.  That stands out.
• When someone sees that they can do something that lightens my load and goes out of their way to do it.  That stands out.
• When someone is generous with their resources for my benefit.  That can mean kind words, or a note thoughtfully written.  It can mean a meal shared or candy on their desk offered.  It can mean a vacuum run or trash taken out at home.

In short, acts of kindness calls for us to extend ourselves to others.  It makes for great teams, great families, and great workplaces.

How can you extend yourself for someone today?