Kindness is infectious
It amazes me how little acts of kindness could affect people. I witnessed it again yesterday.
I stopped at a gas station to buy some coffee. Upon walking in, I thought I'd use the bathroom as well. I asked this young clerk for the bathroom. He pointed at the door, and told me to just put in a quarter to open it. Since I had no change, I handed him a $20 bill and told him to hold it for me as I need to buy some stuff anyway. He gave me 4 quarters and I went in.
While inside I thought what if there are people who need to go but don't have quarters? I looked at the 3 coins and had an idea. The kid handed me $19 when he saw me come out of the bathroom. I gave him the 3 quarters and aked him to give it to the next 3 people who will need it. There was this funny expression of surprise on his face as he said okay.
I went to the coffee dispenser and fixed myself two cups of coffee. Suddenly the clerk, with an awkward smile on his face asked me if I needed a tray for the cups of coffee. I said yes and he came right over, handed me the tray and even complemented me on my shoes. It was funny, but sweet, the way he was so nice to me after recognizing a small act of kindness on my part. He was transformed from a kid who was just doing a job and did not care to someone who is nice and kind to others. Other customers came in and I saw a different glow in him, and I smiled. He was not only doing his job, he seemed to happy to help.
On my part, I wasn't sure if I just did not want to bother with the quarters, or that it was one of those moments of inspiration. It was not really a big deal to me until I saw how he reacted to an act of kindness not even directed at him. He recognized it and was inspired by it to do little acts of kindness to others. For the price of 3 quarters, a kid knows there are still people who care.
If only we all do that on purpose. If only we learn not to be as consumed with our own needs and think of others. If only we allow ourselves an act of kindness all the time - big and small, but kindness just the same. This is the kind of infection we need to spread - the kind that this world needs more of.
Have you infected someone today?
I stopped at a gas station to buy some coffee. Upon walking in, I thought I'd use the bathroom as well. I asked this young clerk for the bathroom. He pointed at the door, and told me to just put in a quarter to open it. Since I had no change, I handed him a $20 bill and told him to hold it for me as I need to buy some stuff anyway. He gave me 4 quarters and I went in.
While inside I thought what if there are people who need to go but don't have quarters? I looked at the 3 coins and had an idea. The kid handed me $19 when he saw me come out of the bathroom. I gave him the 3 quarters and aked him to give it to the next 3 people who will need it. There was this funny expression of surprise on his face as he said okay.
I went to the coffee dispenser and fixed myself two cups of coffee. Suddenly the clerk, with an awkward smile on his face asked me if I needed a tray for the cups of coffee. I said yes and he came right over, handed me the tray and even complemented me on my shoes. It was funny, but sweet, the way he was so nice to me after recognizing a small act of kindness on my part. He was transformed from a kid who was just doing a job and did not care to someone who is nice and kind to others. Other customers came in and I saw a different glow in him, and I smiled. He was not only doing his job, he seemed to happy to help.
On my part, I wasn't sure if I just did not want to bother with the quarters, or that it was one of those moments of inspiration. It was not really a big deal to me until I saw how he reacted to an act of kindness not even directed at him. He recognized it and was inspired by it to do little acts of kindness to others. For the price of 3 quarters, a kid knows there are still people who care.
If only we all do that on purpose. If only we learn not to be as consumed with our own needs and think of others. If only we allow ourselves an act of kindness all the time - big and small, but kindness just the same. This is the kind of infection we need to spread - the kind that this world needs more of.
Have you infected someone today?
posted by PHLOR TORREJOS at 6:39 PM
2 Comments:
Hi Tita! Your blog is so beautifully written. Am now inspired to create one of my own, thanks to you. :)
Today marks the 2nd anniversary of my mastectomy. Thanks to numerous acts of kindness, I serve as living witness to the miracle of God's grace. Even the recurrence of the sickness failed to bring us down. Thank you Tita, for the prayers and for your loving support. I could't have done it without you.
I miss you so. Please send my love to Mommy Gigi and the family.
I love you,
Gen
By the way, my email addy's:
getorrejos@gmanetwork.com & gentorrejos@gmail.com. May I ask for yours? :)
Gen, my niece who wrote the above comments, died of breast cancer in June, 2010. She was 32 years old.
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