Acts of Kindness - who really benefits

I love this time of year, not just for the pile of presents and the tons of food. I love that it gives people an opportunity to be nice to each other. I see them lending a hand to their fellow man, smiling a greeting, letting someone go in front of them and on and on. I used to be one of those people who hurried to get all the errands done, not really caring who I ran into or failed to notice, because I just wanted to get my stuff done. I really try hard not to be that person any more; I look around when I am shopping, smile at people, sometimes strike up conversations about anything, I help people wherever I go. Two very memorable acts made my week, I helped an elderly lady to her car and got some sage advise about aging (made me smile for days) and I overheard a couple discussing how the whole cart things works (do you need money or a special chip?) they both sounded super frustrated, so I offered them my cart. The look of surprise and gratitude has stayed with me all week and their shouts of Merry Christmas were heartfelt. 

When I first joined the UBBT team as a student, I wasn't really sure how the acts of kindness thing was going to work out. I was generally a nice person, helped people in trouble and although I could see how others might have benefited from the exercise, I certainly wasn't in need of any help in that direction. Of course, I couldn't have been more wrong! I'm not really sure how it worked but somewhere along the way, I began to transform into someone new. I began to be someone who looked for opportunities to help others and offer help even if it wasn't necessarily needed. I am a nicer person, I have developed compassion for the people that I encounter every day and I hope that I can teach others to adjust their mindset to do the same.

I am curious about how this particular requirement will enhance my life this year, the year of the Horse!