"Throw kindness around like confetti."
It's a phrase used by this generation that is actually really good.
Think about what confetti does... It goes everywhere and gets into literally everything, doesn't it? Those little colorful pieces of paper or plastic spread like crazy and end up hiding in the crevices even we can't see or find. You seriously find it lingering for days, weeks and sometimes even months after it's been used.
It's brightly colored. It's surprising. It brings smiles to those around it. It's super cheap. And it's just a whole lot of fun.
What if I told you that throwing around confetti has the same effects as throwing around kindness.
Kindness lingers. It's colorful and fun. It's surprising. It's extremely cheap (and many times free). It brings smiles. And it spreads like CRAZY.
The only difference between the two is... you don't need a reason, holiday or celebration to throw kindness around. You can do it every single day!
Let's be real, we're all fighting our own battle. Life's tough. People can be really mean. And we all have bad days.
We pass by people every day who are going through hard things.....
The girl behind you in the Starbucks line who is on edge is contemplating suicide today.
The man you passed by at Walmart who had teary eyes, just lost his mother.
The dude you made fun of in class for falling asleep, was awake all night working to pay the balance of tuition bill.
The older man who you ignored when he passed by and asked how you were doing is, fighting his last days on this earth, eat up with cancer.
The married couple you see so happily in love at the park just miscarried for the third time.
The gorgeous girl in class who seems to have it all together is being abused by her boyfriend.
You see, we don't know people's stories. We don't know their struggles. And we don't know the deep dark thoughts settled in the back of their minds. All we know is they are people, living life, despite whatever they may be going through.
We can't solve their problems or make everything they're going through go away, unfortunately. BUT, we can throw kindness around. We can bring a smile to someone's face and make their day better, even if only for a mere second.
The thing is, we don't know how an act of kindness will affect someone, and that's the beauty of it. In a society so absorbed with ourselves, it's a beautiful thing when we choose to take the time for someone else.
I challenge you to make throwing kindness around like confetti, a daily routine. Seek out opportunities to look beyond yourself and do something bigger than you.
Buy the person behind you in the drive-thru their coffee.
Smile at the old man and ask HIM how he's doing.
Hold the door open for the person behind you.
Ask the cashier if you can pray for her.
Leave double the tip you usually do.
Leave an encouraging sticky note somewhere.
Take the time to buy the homeless man a hamburger.
Stand up for the person everyone else is teasing.
Send your friend an encouraging text, you never know what kind of day they're having.
It doesn't matter what you choose to do, it can be anything, big or small. Just do something. I can guarantee you, the kindness you throw around in a single day will be a surprise, bring a smile, linger and maybe even spread to someone else.
Be KIND. This world needs you.
