Clint Eastwood has been back in the news lately with his most famous line: “Make my day”.
Did you ever try to make someone’s day – but not at gunpoint?
There is a gentleman in South Jersey named Wynn Etter who from time to time when he crossed the bridges to nearby Philadelphia made someone’s day by doing random acts of kindness.
Wynn would drive up to a tollbooth, pay his toll and the toll of the unsuspecting person behind him. As he drove away, you can imagine the shock and delight on the face of the commuter he waved to from his rearview mirror.
Often the driver behind would try to catch up and wave out of gratitude from the adjacent lane.
Imagine how this one act made the day of two people?
The 14th Dalai Lama said:
“When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace.”
So go ahead, find a way to make your day – and someone else’s, too. It may become habit forming.
It doesn’t have to be paying their bridge toll – especially at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey where it can be as high $12 per car.
There are lots of other ways – most of which do not cost a dime.
Add your stories of random acts of kindness below.
Please share this thought with your friends and family.
Riding my bicycle I spotted an elderly lady struggling to carry grocery bags. I offered to carry them and she gratefully accepted. At her apartment, she lived on a 3rd floor walk up, I hid my bike and carried everything up. She was in tears, but I felt badly knowing she didn’t have assistance. I was glad to be able to help this one time, but she needed help every time.
This isn’t something that I did, but my 10-year-old twins… They went to the Halloween Parade last night. They were watching the Parade at my aunt’s who is 80, and has a Parade watching party for all of her friends and family every year. They collected two huge bags of candy being tossed to the onlookers, which they promptly shared with all of the elderly people there. Needless to say, they made me very proud.