For the past month I’ve been trying something new. When someone asks me for directions, I do my best to show them where to go instead of just telling them. And if they’re up for it, or whatever they are looking for is hard to find, I take them there even if it means I have to go out of my way or might be late to wherever I was originally headed.

It’s been so much fun! People usually expect me to give them a string of turn-left-then-right, and are really thankful when I take a few minutes to make sure they find what they are looking for. One woman hugged me after I took her to the store she was looking for, another offered to buy me a coffee when I got her to Starbucks, and many have stopped to say thank you so much, have a great day, etc. It’s so nice to see the look on people’s faces when I do something kind that they weren’t expecting.

The Dalai Lama says, “Be kind whenever possible. It’s always possible.” I’m glad to be able to live by that a little more each day!

Jackie Rose

On the even of this great holiday, I am so thankful for one act of unexpected kindness done for me. Recently the health clinic I volunteered at in Indonesia decided to have a fund raising day so they could afford a much needed ambulance. As of now, laboring mothers and car-crash victims are usually brought to the clinic on the back of a bike.

On the day of the fundraiser I asked friends to donate $1, $5, or whatever they wished to support the clinic. I thought I could count on my friends to donate, as I never turn down their requests for support. In the past year I’ve very happily donated over $800 to friends running races for different organizations, neighbors who asked me to donate to foundations researching ailments they suffer from, etc.

At the end of the day though, not one person donated. I felt hurt and a bit confused, so I posted the following message on twitter and facebook, “I donate almost every time a friend asks me to. Yet when I ask for donations, I get nothing. Not even $1.” Seeing this message on twitter, a random person I had never talked to donated $10 and wrote to me, “I just donated, so know you have a friend out there who cares.”

This good fellow’s unexpected act of kindness has revitalized my spirits and reminded me of the importance and power of being compassionate at all times, and to everyone. Also, he gave me something to be especially grateful for this Thanksgiving!