A Random Act of Kindness: The Caritas Day that Almost Wasn’t

This year I had a goal, a mission if you will. “Perform an act of random kindness in the spirit of Caritas Day”. 

I had heard the university was organizing volunteers to help our “Sisters of Charity” run a soup kitchen. I figured that would be a decent way to "give back" to the community and expand my social circle. I e-mailed in my "request" to volunteer and was informed that I would be put on a waiting list. 

A waiting list? Really? These must have been some popular nuns.

I waited out the rest of the week for any confirmation, eager that my “waitlisted” status would be bumped up to "legit volunteer". In one last effort I emailed the organizers the night before leaving my contact information in case they needed anyone last minute.

Alas, I awoke on Caritas Day hopeful and ready to help those in need.  I would spend two solid hours connecting with different people while growing an appreciation for the things in my life and becoming one with the Mount Community. I'd be singing “Kumbaya” in a drum circle and weaving flowers through my hair by the end of the day!

But I waited and waited for a call that never came. With nothing left to do I decided to head to the gym and work it out. I would release my frustration and come up with a new game plan.

En route, I began thinking of creative ways I could help others and be of some assistance. The gym I frequent is inside of a large grocery store which is always decorated with seasonal displays and eye catching feature items. Normally these items are stacked to create all sorts of 3D shapes like cubes and pyramids. What if I "accidentally" knocked one down and then helped put the entire thing back together?! Simple, devious, it had potential … but only if I didn't get caught.

Lost in the rhythm of the tunes swimming through my head and the consistent pace of the treadmill, I started thinking of old adages, things my mom used to say when I was a child. "Charity begins at home", she'd warn me. This was code for, “You had better help your brother with those dishes.” Over the years I had come to understand that this meant you should take care of those closest to you before attempting to save the rest of the world. Who could I help in my nearby surroundings?

Neighbours! Since moving in last August I honestly don't think I'd said more than two words to mine. I would do something nice for them. Maybe even buy ... something that wasn't awkward?

As I gathered my things to leave, I began to become more and more disillusioned with the thought. I didn't like the idea of such a premeditated gesture. It didn't seem genuine and I'd rather my neighbours not think I was bribing them with a kit kat bar (which is about all I could afford at the time) to shovel my walkway.

“This is what it’s come to …” I thought, as I tried to push past harried shoppers. I was going to have to pull a random act of kindness out of thin air and I couldn't even think of one with all of the noise going on around me. A little girl in a violet, button-up coat was screaming at the top of her lungs while her grandmother was moving ahead slowly whilst trying to comfort her. It felt like she couldn’t be moving any slower as I trailed her impatiently. The doors were less than two metres away. Maybe I could sneak around them and dash for freedom on the outside.

Before I could put my plan into action the sliding doors separated as a gust of wind welcomed itself inside and tore the scroll-like receipt from the old lady’s nimble fingers. Instinctively, I traced its path and darted in its direction. With its length and curls, it resembled a sly, slithering, snake whose movements I couldn't anticipate. Just one step - one more until I'd have it in my grasp.

In the instant I clutched it from the brink of becoming trash, I could already see that it had suffered minor tear and was not intact. As I carefully handed it back, she looked at me over her glasses, sandwiched her small, withered hands around mine and curled her lips into a smile as she barely whispered, "Thank you ".

I gave myself a fist pump, as is customary in these situations. Finally! Random act of kindness completed! It was amazing that something so simple could make me feel this great and renew a sense of hope in myself and in others.

So what if it hadn’t been a grand sweeping gesture? The more I thought about it, I began to realize that we often trivialize simple kindness like opening doors or saying thank you until we take them for granted. Meanwhile we wait for lofty, fleeting acts to prove that others really care.