Put a Smile on Your Face

"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." ~Dalai Lama, from @tinybuddha via Twitter 9.22.09, 9:55 A.M.

This morning, I experienced a direct result of my kindness research.

I awoke on the wrong side of the bed. Going to class seemed like a chore. In fact, I almost stayed in bed. But the squirrel needed to eat.
On the way to school, Circle K didn't have my favorite low-calorie energy drink, which meant I really wouldn't have the energy required for jump rope and class.
And, generally, I was in a pissy mood.

At the second gas station stop of the morning, I went out of my way to assist an elderly woman with a cane. She noticed my enthusiastic desire to help her and genuinely wished me a good day.

In that moment, I smiled. That smile stopped me in my tracks. Why was I in a miserable mood? All the "crap" seemed superfluous.

I smiled all the way to class, walking as close to skipping as you can get.

A kind word and smile turned my whole day around. Odd. :-)

Acts of Kindness
44. Held the door for a bunch of people at the gas station
45. Made a girl smile because I smiled at her
46. Being super polite to the plasma people
47. Encouraging Ana to rid herself of negativity
48. Complimenting Kim Dark
59. Leaving a kind note on someone's car (we share the same model car)
50. Texting thank you to B-Fowl for her kind words
51. Sweeping the floor before class

Acts of Kindness Done for Me
A woman genuinely wished me a good day
Compliments from Brick
Brick inviting me to sit with him at Kim Dark's lecture