“How beautiful a day
can be when kindness
touches it.” 
George Elliston

My cousin, Debbie, and I get together for brunch once each month. We’ve enjoyed meals at Jack’s in San Bruno, Copenhagen Bakery in Burlingame, Buck’s in Woodside, and a number of other fine dining establishments up and down the peninsula. Yesterday, we met at the Sunrise Café in Pacifica, just a few blocks from Debbie’s home. It was another one of those dark, damp, foggy mornings along the coast, but the warmth of the café more than made up for the gloomy weather outside.

Although it was around noon time, the restaurant was not crowded when we arrived. Deb and I sat in a booth. A few others were sitting at other tables and one gentleman was sitting alone at the counter on a swivel stool.

A young woman with two young boys, ages 7 and 2, sat at the booth behind us. The boys were quite active. The younger one liked walking up and down the aisle turning all the empty swivel chairs along the counter. His older brother seemed content to watch, quite entertained by his young sibling’s antics. At one point, the little one noticed something on one of the counter seats. It was a small crumb. With the precision of a surgeon, he picked it up with two fingers, walked directly to me, and placed it in my hand. I thanked him profusely for such a kind gift. He was clearly quite proud of himself.

A while later, the two-year-old again approached me with a “special gift.” I opened my hand and he placed the small item gently on my palm. To be honest, I’m not sure what it was. Another crumb, perhaps? Or was that a booger? Again, I told him how much I appreciated his generosity. His smile lit up the room.

On their way out, the woman and the boys stopped at our table for a moment. The boys wanted to say goodbye, while their mother thanked us for our tolerance and patience. The boys gave me fist-bumps. When they got up to the cash register, the boys waved to me again as their mother paid the bill. As the trio walked out the café door, the boys were smiling and still waving goodbye. It was one of those feel-good experiences.

A while later, when Debbie and I finished our meal and asked for the check, the waitress told us that the woman with the two young boys had paid for our lunches. Debbie and I were pleasantly surprised. I’ve seen that done by others, and both Debbie and I have done that ourselves for others, but this was the first time either of us had been the recipient of such kindness. We were both deeply touched by her generosity.

Actor Morgan Freeman once posed a question, and immediately answered it. He asked, “How do we change the world?” In the next breath, he said, “One random act of kindness at a time.”

Every day, each of us has an opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Yesterday’s act of kindness is just one example of what we can do to bring more positivity into the world. We are all invited and challenged to look for, and take advantage of, opportunities to be kind to others. A simple act of kindness creates feelings of joy and gratitude in others. It creates a similar response in us.