Picture a body of water in which a rock has been thrown. As it drops, one ring, two rings, and many more rings surround it. This is how goodness spreads. Good thoughts, good deeds, good feelings towards others are what our nation needs most now – not just those who look or think like us, but everyone.
I believe that what we focus on is empowered and grows. With all that’s happened lately, there is sadness, helplessness, and anger in the air. Instead of focusing on what separates us, we should turn our energies to what connects us – we are all one race – the human race. So it makes sense to focus on the good that is happening around us, as well as the good that we can bring about. Random Acts of Kindness promotes looking out for each other and paying it forward. Their website suggests crocheting baby items and donating them to a hospital, sponsoring a child from another country, adding a compliment to the next email you write, and more.
A Good Example
In the 1994 movie, “Only You,” Marisa Tomei and Bonnie Hunt run out of gas in Italy while driving in circles searching for their destination. They grab a bottle of wine and begin walking to find help, finally giving up, drinking while contemplating their screwed up lives. Meanwhile, bypassing nuns kindly fill the tank, leave a note on the windshield, and drive away smiling. When the friends discover their good fortune, they’re filled with appreciation. How lovely would it be to generate that kind of happiness every day?
Uplifting Stories
Here are some stories to help get you in the mood:
- Texas Prisoners Break Out of Their Holding Cell to Save a Police Officer’s Life
- Deaf Girl Teaches Deaf Puppy Sign Language in Cutest Video Ever
- Viral Photo of Dad at Hospital Shows How Selfless Parents Can Be
- Brother Travels the World, Surprises Sister for Her 19th Birthday
- Watch This Boy Surprise a TV Anchor Whose Story Helped Him Get Adopted
A Few Last Words
As Rabbi Harold Kushner once said, “We all have the power to give away love, to love other people. And if we do so, we change the kind of person we are, and we change the kind of world we live in.”