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random acts of kindness By Trey Reckling
I ran out of gas on an off-ramp of I-85 in Atlanta one summer when I was in college. I had hitchhiked a couple of times before despite the advice of my mother never to do so. A scorching summer day and a long walk ahead of me convinced me to fly in the face of her reason once again. Before I could even hook my thumb out, a nondescript sedan pulled over with a family inside. The father asked if I wanted a ride. I gladly accepted. They were on their way to take his daughter to a friend’s house. They offered to drop me off at a gas station and come back and pick me up on their return trip in a few minutes. After the round-trip ride, I was back at my car again. I offered the man some money for his trouble and he would have nothing of it. “I won’t take your money. Just promise me this: Promise me you will do this for someone else who is in trouble one day.” “Sure” I said, caught off-guard by his request. That brief encounter stuck with me. It was years before the movie “Pay It Forward” gave the idea so much coverage, and I had not yet heard the term “random acts of kindness.” Finding the opportunity to give ‘payback’ came easily. Once a person starts looking for a chance to do something nice for someone else with no expectation of reciprocity, opportunities are everywhere. A Native American friend told me one day that his family gave gifts in much the same way. He said that it was custom to leave a gift for someone in a place where they were sure to find it. They did simply that: leave a gift, without a card telling who it was from or waiting to see the expression on the person’s face. He said sometimes they would know where a gift came from by its nature and sometimes they didn’t. It was given as a gift, to make someone else happy without the intention of gaining favor. The idea was foreign but still intrigued me. At this time in the quarter when workloads and stress levels can run high, few people would fail to appreciate unsolicited kindness. It may seem idealistic, but I do believe that each of us holds the power to have an immeasurable impact on the lives of those around us. It does not require a brilliant mind, an athletic body or a great deal of money. It simply requires us to act, even if only occasionally, in a selfless way for other people around us with no intention of personal gain. What can one member of our community do to make a positive impact? You tell me. Reckling is the college’s ombudsman. |
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