This week’s Escape Plan challenge (aka our Tip of the Week) is: #14: Random Act: Do something to help someone you don’t know.
When I was in college we had a project for my Psychology class, experimenting with the social reactions of people in different situations. As I was brainstorming a connection for which direction to go in, I
remembered a book I had received and enjoyed a few years earlier, “Random Acts of Kindness.” It had become very popular, sharing a compilation of stories about people being kind to strangers- just because. The light bulb went off and the project was underway. Myself and a handful of other students in the class put our heads together and decided we’d celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week, typically the second week in February. In doing so, we baked a whole bunch of chocolate chip cookies. On the Friday of that week we stood in the commons and handed cookies to passersby- telling them that it was Random Acts of Kindness Week… and to pass on the kindness.
The reaction was astounding. The college students were giddy. Not only were they excited to get the free cookie, but we heard many comments assuring us that they would, indeed, share the random kindness with a stranger. It was a very neat experience to see how a simple cookie could brighten someone’s day. Seems trivial, but kindness is very powerful.
Don’t be yourself – be someone a little nicer. -Mignon McLaughlin
Share with us in the comments of the Escape Plan blog what you did to help someone this week.
Nothing lifts your spirits like hearing about total strangers helping others. . .just because. It makes you feel wonderful even if you didn’t take part. One of my favorite sites is http://www.helpothers.org/
Try to take the ant & elephant approach to this! Do a small act, perhaps on an individual basis and then think outside the box for a BIG one! Give a baby shower for a pregnancy center, organize a thank you luncheon for a local group no one else acknowledges, give out free hugs (with signs in hand) in a parking lot at a store…
One person can make all the difference, one act, one brave moment of stepping out of our “safety zone”.
Thank you Kim & Jason for this site reminding us to be doers not just thinkers in the realm of kindness and childlike fun and faith….