There Is Goodness All Around

There is goodness all around.

It was Thanksgiving Eve, and I was taking a train to meet my husband so we could then begin our trip to Pennsylvania. Much to my dismay, I am not a graceful person. And that’s when I’m just walking with a normal bag – add a suitcase and two carry-ons to the picture, while I’m walking down the stairs? Well, that’s just a hot mess.

I was struggling with my bags down the stairs of the train when an older gentleman just…grabbed my bag for me.

I stopped and smiled. It was clear he was just being kind to a stranger, an action that seems to be far less common, and even far less celebrated.

Thank you, I said. I love it when people do nice things for others.

He told me we should always do nice things for others.

Indeed, my friend. Indeed.

We wished one another Happy Thanksgiving, went on our way, and that was that. But it was a bright spot in my evening, the type of thing that made me want to pay such kindness forward.

There is goodness all around.

I ordered coffee for a colleague and I this week. She likes almond milk in her coffee, and I’m allergic to almonds. I asked for almond milk in one of the lattes and, by accident, they poured the milk in both.

It’s ok – nobody died. But I did ask them to give me my coffee sans allergy poisoning.

The coffee shop is independently owned, so they poured me another cup, and then gave me the additional almond milk latte – no charge. I took it, not knowing what I was going to do with the extra latte.

As I was heading back to the apartment building to meet my friend, I greeted the security guard at the desk, explained the story, asked him if he’d like a free coffee. He was thrilled and thankful – I mean, who doesn’t love a good cup of caffeine?

There is goodness all around.

There is goodness in the strangers that smile and offer you a hand. There is goodness in your social media streams, as much as it seems like there isn’t. There is goodness in the people who care about making this world better and leaving those around them a little bit brighter.

It’s all around you, I promise.

Just…look.