Sometimes, the smallest acts are the most rewarding. In a passing moment, Nathalie Jimenez learned the big impact of lending a helping hand.
Do you ever feel as if you want to help but don’t know how?
I once felt a rush of happiness run through my body when I helped an elderly man pump his gas. I was just standing when I saw him struggling while no one around would help. While my gas was pumping, I walked over to him and offered some assistance. He gladly said yes and I proceeded to pump his gas. He thanked me and said, “I don’t know what I would’ve done without your help.” It made me realize kindness comes from the heart in moments like these, not when you’ll gain recognition for it.
Another day at the grocery store with my grandma, I saw a similar situation: an old man behind a mountain of bananas struggling with a flimsy plastic bag, those plastic bags that are always so hard to open. I walked over and politely asked if he wanted some help. He turned around with a big grin on his face and said yes. While I was opening the bag he was using, he asked if I could open some of the other bags he had in his cart. Of course I opened the other bags as well. When I walked away, I felt good about what I had done.
I learned that spreading kindness doesn’t have to be a huge gesture. Sometimes the smallest things can make the biggest impact. Happiness is contagious and one good act of kindness can make someone else want to do the same.