A Year of Blogging: October 5, 2011

October 5 is 'Do Something Nice' day. I think it's kind of sad that we have to set aside a day for this. Doing nice things should be automatic, it should be something we do without thinking about. We shouldn't have to declare a special day so that everyone can do something nice. Or so that people can stop thinking about themselves for a day and do something for others. Maybe I'm antiquated in my thinking. I grew up believing in the Golden Rule "Do unto others as you will have done unto you". Hold the door open for the person behind you, and if someone holds the door open for you, say "thank you". Be kind to others. Help them. Be nice. You know, that whole 'be a good girl' thinking. As I think about this day, I think of things I've done in the past few days that would qualify as doing something nice. I didn't do them for any special reason, other than it seemed the right or nice thing to do. At the store the other day, there was an elderly lady sitting on a scooter by the store doors. The store doors are huge, and there is not a power door. I walked over to her and asked her if she needed help getting through the doors. She told me that she was waiting for a ride, but thanked me. How many people would have and did walk past her without even giving it a thought? Yesterday my coworker commented that she wanted chocolate, and I offered her a Reese's cup that I had in my purse. Tonight, even though I was exhausted, I made dinner and had it ready for Erich when he came home from school. I didn't do any of it for a reward, or because it was a 'holiday' to do it. It was just the right thing to do, or in the case of my coworker and the chocolate, at least brought a smile to her. I'm not trying to blow my own horn. I just think if we all tried to do a little more good in the world, maybe as a society we could be a little nicer. Look up from the phones and computers just for a little bit, and see what a difference you could make with just a small gesture. Maybe, then it won't be such a rarity to do something nice.