I was driving home and debating the relative merits of Taco Bell. As I assessed the variables, I remembered one particular Taco Bell location close to me that always seemed to have a friendly woman and great service.
Upon ordering, I heard the same kind voice coming through the speaker. When I pulled up to the drive-thru window, I told the cashier, “I want to let you know that I chose this location because I remembered that you are often here and nice.” We laughed a little, both agreeing about how being “nice” makes a big difference. She introduced me to her colleague, and we had a lovely short exchange.
As she gave my total, it seemed slightly lower than I had thought. She said, “I gave you my ‘nice person discount.’” Sure enough, the receipt said “senior discount.” The gesture made me smile all the way home.
It had only taken a sentence, just one sentence of showing gratitude, that resulted in a friendly encounter that left us all smiling and even kept a little bit of money in my pocket.
I want to leave a kindness ripple everyday. If I can go one extra step in a way that leaves ripples for everyone, why wouldn’t I do it all the time?
The thing is, I know something about myself. I am less nice when I am busy and don’t have enough margin. I am not mean, but I’m stuck in my head, myopically focused on getting through a list of priorities, blind to the small ways I can make a difference. I simply don’t take the extra minute that could bring warm fuzzies to everyone.
I struggle with being super-productive and wanting to change the world while ensuring that I have enough time to enjoy life and the people I love. But what if the focused time isn’t the only thing that changes the world? What if it’s when I slow down enough to start a kindness ripple?