"Kindness is more than deeds. It is an attitude, an expression, a look, a touch. It is anything that lifts another person.” ~ Plato

Kindness is contagious too. It can also give you a natural high. Let's help spread it. One way is through stories. 

When I arrived early at the Orlando airport last Friday and passed through security quickly, I decided to watch for kindness opportunities and have fun acting upon them while I waited to board. As the day went on and the kindnesses added up, I was almost giddy.*  

Besides typical things, like smiling a lot, I acted upon a few ideas that are less typical.

One was simply to dry the whole counter and all four sinks after washing my hands in a ladies' room. Even though the neatness would last a short time for one stranger who probably wouldn't even notice, it felt caring, kind, and fun.

Another action involved the customer service counter. When I noticed a single attendant standing with no one in line, I approached and told her I didn't need any help. I just wanted to thank her for the help she gives when help is needed. She looked at me strangely and didn't say a thing for what seemed like a long time. But then she reached out, took my hand, and said, "Thank you. No one has ever done that." That was fun too.

My intention in giving my examples is to encourage a sharing of stories so we can "witness" them here. Why? According to "Kindness Health Facts," the positive effects of kindness are experienced in the brain of everyone who "witnesses" the act, improving their mood, and making them significantly more likely to "pay it forward." 

What act of kindness will you commit today?

With love, fun, and joy,
Charlene

* According to research from Emory University, when you are kind to another person, your brain’s pleasure and reward centers light up, as if you were the recipient of the good deed—not the giver. This phenomenon is called the “helper’s high."*

JOY: May it keep your heart open and filled with light. - from The Twelve Gifts of Birth.