By Lorie Ham
Random Acts of Kindness Day is upon us again this February 17. According to National Day Today, Random Acts of Kindness Day was initiated in 1995 in Denver, Colorado by a nonprofit organization of the same name. It spread to New Zealand nine years later, and in 2004, the observance of this day became more and more widespread.
Often very small acts of kindness can have a big impact on the lives of others. According to an article on Linkedin, acts of kindness can boost happiness, reduce stress, and strengthen social bonds. Also, witnessing acts of kindness can inspire others to pay it forward, creating a ripple effect of positivity and goodwill. Something as simple as smiling at another person, remembering someone’s birthday, or paying for their cup of coffee, can end up improving their whole day!
We did an article about Random Acts of Kindness Day in 2022, and you can read more here, but this year we would like to share some examples from Mennonite Insurance/Mennonite Aid staff and board members of random acts of kindness that have touched their lives—both on the giving and receiving end.
“I am often on the receiving end of generosity,” shared one staff member who preferred to remain anonymous. Her mother often sends handwritten notes in the mail to encourage her, and recently, on her birthday, office staff surprised her with a desk covered in streamers and other birthday fun. “I felt very loved and celebrated! All of that makes me feel truly grateful to have such wonderful people in my life.”
Recently, at a grocery store, the same staff member helped a gentleman who couldn’t find his wallet at check out. She snuck in and paid for his groceries. “It was a small balance in the scheme of things, but it seemed to mean a lot for him not to have to stress about going back home to track his billfold down and then return to purchase his items. It felt good to make his day a bit easier.”
Board member Janine Bergdahl shares about a random act of kindness that touched her deeply.
During Christmas time nine years ago Janine’s husband was in hospice care after fighting cancer for three years. “It was truly a difficult time, grieving the anticipated loss, wondering how much longer, worrying about the future, and trying to comfort and care for our two daughters.
“About two weeks before Christmas, a friend sent Tim an email telling him that she would like to send us a Christmas gift and asked for our bank information. She was an ‘MK’ (missionary kid) from Pakistan who was now grown up.” They hadn’t seen her in years but had kept in touch through Facebook. She was now married and had moved to the Middle East where she had a really good job.
“We thought she might send $100. But to our great surprise, there was a sudden $7,000 deposited in our account! This was at a time of great financial uncertainty, and we were blown away by her generosity. Tim died about three weeks later. Her gift paid for his funeral – in full.
“I still am so very thankful for her act of kindness, as well as so very many others who cared for our family in those difficult days. Much of my memories during that time of life are a big blur. But those acts of kindness are remembered, and are remembered vividly, and with a grateful heart.”
Board member Jim Brandt shares another story that deals with a time of grief. “The day after my wife passed away I was meeting with my family to make plans. Though her passing was not unexpected, we were all in shock. It was approaching noon, and no one felt like putting lunch together. We decided to go into town to eat at Panda Express. When we walked in, I saw an associate of mine, a friend I had worked with. I told him our sad news. We visited a bit and then we got in line to order our food. When I got to the register to pay, the clerk informed me that the gentleman I had been visiting with had paid our bill. At such a sad time in our lives, it was comforting to know someone was this kind to acknowledge our grief in this way. This small, kind gesture made a great impact on my life.”
Another board member, Larry Miller, experienced another simple act that really touched him. Many years ago, he was part of an architectural and engineering team designing and overseeing a school modernization project at a high school campus in a rural Fresno County community. It had been a significant and sometimes stressful project involving improvements to every building on campus over a short period of time.
“After school started in August, I was on campus inspecting some of the electrical work during class hours. I carefully opened the door to the choral room in the music building, not wanting to disturb the class. The instructor asked if he could help. I told him I only needed a few minutes to inspect work at the rear and side of the room. As I walked around the room, I noticed a large open Bible on a floor stand, something I had never seen in a public school.
“I finished my inspection and thanked the instructor for allowing me time in his classroom. He then asked if I had a few minutes; they would like to present something. I agreed, not knowing what to expect. He then asked his class of about twenty boys to stand and sing something they knew well in beautiful harmony! In my thirty-plus years working on school construction projects, I had never experienced being an audience of one. It was truly an inspiration on what was a rather mundane day.”
As we approach another Random Act of Kindness day, take a moment to consider things you can do all year long that could brighten someone else’s day. We also hope you will share on the Mennonite Insurance Facebook page some stories of acts of kindness that have touched you.
