I need your help.
Don't worry. It won't cost you a single penny. It won't even cost you much time. In most cases, it will take less than 60 seconds to complete. And as you may know, a lot can be accomplished in a single minute.
My birthday is this Friday, October 28th. And I want you to help me celebrate it.
No, I don't want you to buy me a present. And no, I don't even want you to wish me a happy birthday. I want you to do something different. Something special. Something for someone else. A stranger.
This Friday, October 28th, I want you to perform a random act of kindness to a complete stranger.
Why?
Well I've always felt a bit uncomfortable when someone buys me a present, even a card! I love giving presents, but I feel guilty when someone gives me one. I feel I don't deserve it. I don't know why that is because I was a greedy child just like everyone else. I suppose it has to do with the fact that a few years ago my parents fell on very hard times. So as a family, we all agreed not to exchange birthday or Christmas presents anymore. Gifts are one of the ways I show my love to the people I care about. So it's very difficult for me to be asked NOT to do that. But as a result, it has forced me to show my love in other ways. And performing Random Acts Of Kindness are one of the ways I do this.
Ideas To Help Get You Started
- Make a shy child laugh.
- Hold the door open for someone.
- Buy a lottery ticket for a stranger.
- Walk an elderly person's dog. (Counts as 2x the kindness! You're being kind to the elderly person and to the dog!)
- Donate some of your used clothes to Good Will.
- Let someone in a hurry cut in line infront of you.
- Pay for the car behind you at the toll booth. (This is especially great because it's nearly impossible for them to thank you. And that's how Random Acts Of Kindness should be done - to be nice, not for recognition.)
- Change a fellow motorists's flat tire. (I once got a date that way! But that's not why you should be doing it.)
- Give a compliment about your waiter/waitress to his/her manager.
- Surprise an extra busy waiter/waitress who appears to be having a hard day by tipping them more than your actual bill costs. (I'm a big fan of treating restaurant staff kindly because I know their job sucks and they may very well spit in your food if you're a jerk.)
What goes around, comes around. So help me make this a happy birthday by spreading a little happy. It's sure to make me, you, and a complete stranger feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And I can't think of a better birthday present than that!
Now for the selfish part, I want you to report back here and tell me what you did. So leave a comment below. I'm taking Friday off and will be away for the weekend. So come Monday, I hope to see the comment section full of warm fuzzy stories.
In advance, I thank you!
18 comments:
I'm in! And happy birthday anyway.
Thank you!
Due to the lack of comments, the pessimist in me feels like this mission is going to be a giant failure. But, I'm hoping to be proven wrong. I guess we shall soon see!
I'm in bro! But one thing, don't be afraid to receive gifts. I used to feel the way you feel now. Life is all about giving and taking.
When you take someones gift you're actually giving them satisfaction in return. In certain cultures it's even considered rude or mean not to accept a persons gift. Enjoy your b-day bro.
Happy birthday! I bought some food and gave it to a homeless person. I do that at least once a week. I'm also hoping that other people will see me, so that they'll do the same thing for other homeless people.
I am up for that. :)
In honor of your birthday, and just being nice in general, I've decided to extend this into a weekend event. Today, I am scheduled to volunteer at the local nursing home visiting, talking to, and entertaining the residents. Tomorrow, I will be the main attraction at Story Hour at the public library. I'll be practice voices all evening in preparation.
It's not as inventive as the time I broke into my friends' house to clean it, but it's also a little safer. No illegal activity is involved this time.
First thing is first, how creative is this idea? I love it, and as a birthday present to you, my new blogging friend, I am going to visit my widowed mother and my widowed aunt tonight and take out their trash. Also, tonight is Bingo night, so I'll volunteer to drive them, which means I'll pal around with them too so wish me luck!! Second, Happy Birthday! I'm new to your blog, but love what I see! You're a handsome guy, David! Not certain if you're in NY yet or not, but I wish you the very best of luck there!!
I was trying to figure out what to do for your birthday mission.
I was at a concert last night and the musician gave me a guitar pic, which I gave to my friend (since she is a bigger fan of the musician than I am). Although it happened yesterday, it was late enough at night that I'm going to count it as my good deed, and not so random act of kindness.
Also, happy birthday!
It's so easy to do nice things for other people...sometimes, it's just ingrained. Holding doors open, throwing loose change in a tip jar, expressing your gratitude for people who are even just doing their job, but who do so in a way that makes you feel special...I think these acts are what make th world work, are what make you believe in the beauty of other people and the world when maybe you're given every reason not too.
This were, after dealing with a medical staff for the past two months that I would like to punch in the nethers, I met the kindest, most sincerest people in post-op, who helped me not feel so scared and not so alone. So as soon as I'm able, I intend on writing to each of them who made the experience a little easier, expressing my gratitude. When I told someone close to me my intention, they kind of raised their eyebrows. "Isn't a thank you enough," they asked.
My answer? No. Sometimes enough is never enough.
A great post. Hope you had a wonderful, memorable birthday, David!
Ok. Sorry for the typos and/or incoherence. Ipad plus medicine does not make for concise writing. Duly noted =P
These were all really good and I'm so happy you shared them! Definitely gave me a warm fuzzy to read today - thank you!
I participated too this weekend. I payed the toll for the car behind me on the turnpike. And I surprised a neighbor kid by buying him a scary Halloween mask to wear in bed, or around the house, since he's too sick to go Trick-Or-Treating this year.
Happy Birthday!
In September, my work told me that I wasn't going to have a job at the end of the month, because I was simply out of the budget. A few days later, they said "Welp, the quarter is ending so your last day is actually in two days." Gasp. For. Air.
Without a job, I was hit...hard. I moved in with my boyfriend and he bent over backwards to help me -- fed me, drove me to job interviews, and most of all made me feel loved and worthwhile. I literally had nothing!
A month later I found a job. My first real career. It felt so damn good. It FEELS so damn good.
Of course the situations had to be switched at some point, right? As soon as I got a job (and moved a few hours away for it) he suddenly became financially unstable.
It felt so good to help him out, in honor of your birthday.
"When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That is my religion." - Abraham Lincoln
See that, what comes around goes around.
Congratulations on your new job! And of course well done in returning some love and support to your boyfriend when he needed it most.
Gotta love that Abraham Lincoln quote!
I realize I'm a little late but on Friday I made a point of making a new friend on a train - she was very sweet and it reminded me that reaching out can feel pretty fantastic.
Hi David
Although its a bit late, but i think the birthday spirit is still around.
Ill let you know my trying....but tks a lot for sharing yr thoughts. Sometimes im afraid we r becoming too cold going on thinking "if we dont help, there'll be other who does" and we keep our eyes shut gradually.
Hi David
Happy birthday for a few weeks ago :)
I know I've caught on late here, apologies for that, I've only just caught the blogging bug!
I'm feeling inspired to perform a few random acts of kindness myself and step out of my comfort zone a little!
I'm going to add a page to my blog to track how I'm doing, follow me and watch how I do!
Miss B
Haven't been here in ages, but you're still cranking out quality stuff.
And hey, we share the same birthday, fellow Scorpio!
I'm late as hell with the birthday wishes, but I'm always doing silly acts of kindness, trying to "spread the love around," so at least maybe that will help me redeem myself for the late comment/wishes.
To feel like I'm still somehow partaking in this mission, I vow to take on the toughest challenge when engaging in random acts of kindness: NOT EXPECTING ANYTHING IN RETURN. Because I know myself and know how insulted/annoyed/angry I get when someone whose door I held open for doesn't say, "thanks!" or a little wave of acknowledgement when I let another driver pass in front of me. It really just defeats the whole purpose of doing something nice. Therefore, I'm newly on a quest for UNCONDITIONALLY executing acts of kindness.
(Side note: Totally just remembered that you're a Scorpio. No other sign has the emotional strength of Scorpio, true story! Happy belated birthday!)
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