April 3, 2014
Show Responsibility in Kindness
Who is responsible for making the world a kinder place? Everyone!
This week I was reminded of the role responsibility plays in Random Acts of Kindness. I read an article of a couple who ordered pizza for delivery, then only tipped their driver $0.33, the change needed to round their purchase price to the nearest dollar. The delivery man, a college student, accepted the meager tip without hesitation or complaint.
What makes this story inspirational is what happened next. The couple, realizing their error, made a handmade greeting card and included $20 for the college student. They took their responsibility one step further and delivered the card to the pizza restaurant, handing it to the manager to personally give to the student. Visit http://imgur.com/a/6pkHz to see a photo of the card and tip. How wonderful! To realize you made a mistake, own up to it, and actually make an effort to rectify the error. That takes courage! It would have been much easier for the couple to shrug the incident away, paralyzed perhaps by their embarrassment, yet they made a choice to be responsible for their actions.
Even businesses are making a connection between responsibility and random acts of kindness. After all, if it wasn't for their clients and repeat customers, they wouldn't have a business at all! Saying 'Thank You' to someone for their loyalty and commitment is a corporate responsibility. Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqT_dPApj9U to see how Coca-Cola rewarded college students with a drink machine that gave away endless drinks and more.
Kindness knows no barriers. Not language, culture, or location can inhibit someone who has a responsibility to give. Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqHWAE8GDEk to see how the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines went above and beyond to not only give back to their passengers, but get to know them on a personal level in the process. We are all responsible for making the world a kinder, happier place. The ability to put a smile on someone's face is a gift to them and you as well! As you go about your daily tasks this week, think of how you can share in the global responsibility of kindness.
Your random act of kindness will surely make a difference in someone else's day!
