Kindness Matters

Years ago, I walked into a card store a few block from my apartment in Manhattan. The woman working behind the desk was personable and we struck up a conversation as I paid for a birthday card I was picking up for a friend. "You're so polite," she said. "I need you to hang around my kids." 

Not long before a store clerk up the street said more or less the same thing offering me a complimentary kit bag before I made my way out the store. "Why?" I asked. "Because you said please and thank you."

The fact that both incidents happened in New York City may imply more about the makeup of this fast-paced community, but I think the broader point is being kind really matters.

During my last few weeks in Central America I've seen people go above and beyond for me simply because I've taken the time to really listen and take an active interest in their lives. I've asked questions, tried to speak less, and praised them for their hospitality. I made new friends, learned a great deal about a culture I knew little to nothing about, and in the process deepened my understanding of what it means to be human.

So be kind whenever possible. Not because of what you’ll gain but because of who you’ll become.