As we all know mornings can be rough and a morning coffee is essential for some. I am NOT a morning person, and therefore, require coffee to kick start my day. I’m sure some of you can relate.
What began as an incredibly crazy morning – kids missed the bus (dare I say, again?), lunches weren’t made, and I had no time for breakfast, let alone a cup of coffee. After racing out the door and miraculously getting my kids to school on time, I had less than five minutes grab a quick cup of coffee on my way to work.
As I opened the door to Dunkin’ Donuts, my heart sank. The line was long. I now had only 4 minutes to get my coffee. I pondered leaving, but the smell of my awaiting “cup of sanity” begged me to stay. I gave in, praying the line would move quickly.
With 2 minutes to go, I finally was next in line. However, the woman in front of me was taking quite a while to decide what flavor she wanted in her coffee, and I was growing equally impatient and panic stricken that I would be late for work.
Just as I was about to suggest a flavor to speed things along, I heard her scream, “WHAT? WHO DID?” She then turned around pointing to me and others behind me asking, “Was it you? Was it you?” All of us shook our heads in bewilderment.
It was what followed that turned my morning, from a hectic and crazy mess, to a joy filled and happy one – coffee or no coffee. I heard the words, “Well, then I’ll pay for her!” Yes, that wonderfully, indecisive woman had just offered to pay for my coffee, as the person in front of her had just done. I thought, “Now this was getting fun!” I wanted in on this, so I offered to pay for the person behind me, he then offered to pay for the person behind him, and this continued until the end of the line.
My cup of coffee tasted wonderful that morning. It definitely hit the spot…right in my heart. I was in awe of the human spirit. One random act of kindness, by one stranger, set up a chain of pay if forward events, which affected five people on a dreary cold morning in Warren, New Jersey. Each one of us left that store smiling and feeling grateful for the one person who spread kindness, by his good deed, and his example.
See below for ideas on how you, too, can make someone’s day with your Random Acts of Kindness.
Random Acts of Kindness Ideas for Adults and Kids:
- Send a friendly letter in the mail to someone who could use some cheer
- Pay for a stranger’s coffee or groceries when at the store
- Help a neighbor or elderly person bring in his/her mail or groceries
- Let someone merge in front of you when on the road
- Bring pizza or treats to your local EMT, police, or fire department
- Put a quarter in a parking meter that is running out of time
- Give someone a compliment
- Donate old clothes or books to underprivileged schools
Choose Kind,
Christina Mancino
Assembly Leader