Living: the ultimate team sport

Kindness Fridays

Posted on March 17, 2017 Updated on March 18, 2017

While on errands the other day – during a very busy time of day in the middle of a downtown Redmond, WA construction zone – traffic was pretty much bumper to bumper and getting to my appointment on time was proving to be a waning possibility.

On the two lane road upon which I was driving, the car directly in front of me stopped to let another car out of the business park on the right. I’m quite certain that made that driver’s day – I know my day has been improved inordinately when that grace has been extended to me.

Approximately five minutes later a car coming toward me in the opposite lane put on his turn signal, indicating he wanted to turn into a driveway coming up on my right; he would need to turn in front of my car to do so.

Looks like that earlier driver who extended a courtesy rubbed off on me. I stopped, motioned the car through, and then went on my way.

My day was delayed by a whole eight seconds.

The point of this mini-kindness post is that I immediately wanted to replicate what that previous driver had done. That driver’s kindness gave me yet more proof that when kindnesses are extended, such kindnesses can influence others. Sure, hatred spreads like wildfire, but kindness can snuff out that fire and benefit so many.

That’s the kind of influence with which I want to be associated. How about you?

See also: Do little rather than nothing