Altruism and Randam Acts of Kindness

I was reading an article today about a woman basically discovering herself through random acts of kindness. She started out, doing these acts only to people who had only been nice to her, and then as she moved further into it, she realized it wasn’t about her anymore, it was about doing things to truly make the world a better, more altruistic place.

She noticed that by doing random acts around her office, that other people started doing them as well, and that people had started being, well, kinder toward each other.

All of this got me thinking about me, and my own M.O. I tend to do nice things for people, but not for people I don’t really like. Maybe I should try to be a little more like this woman in the article. Then again, I’m not sure I wouldn’t be doing this to make things better for ME. I think it couldn’t hurt, but will it help???? Would me smiling at a jerk cutting me off, be better for the universe than me flipping him off?

Altruism is something that has always intrigued me. I had a professor (Dr. Samuel Oliner) in college that was a holocaust survivor. He was about 10 when he lost his parents in Aushwich, and somehow he escaped. Because he happened to be a blonde, blue eyed jew, he was passed from one convent to another and was able to “pass” until someone was able to get him out of Poland. It was an amazing story, and to hear him tell it, well I could and did listen to his story anytime I had the chance.

He was one of those people I said before that was born with a bright light. I remember, when I first saw the number tattooed on his arm from the concentration camp where his parents died, I was moved beyond words. Now, I’m telling this from memory, and that memory is nearly 20 years old at this point, so I could be off on a few details, but I think you will probably get the idea.

Anyway, I have been thinking on this all day today. What would this world be like, if people (myself included) were just nicer to each other. Not so petty, not so vindictive. What if people were able to take the high road more often. Would it make a difference in world peace?? In community peace?

I want it to be a better place for our children to grow up in.

Sometimes I wonder if I took the chickenshit way out, moving to Montana from California. I know I did it so my kids would grow up in a “better” place. I was fine living near Oakland, but I didn’t want my kids going to school there, growing up there.

I wanted them to be able to do the stuff I did as a kid, camp, hike, fish, ride a bike down the road. I know there is stuff that goes on here, I’m not naive, but I know it goes on in a much smaller percentage.

I guess it’s something to think on.

Aside from that, my body is achy tonight, I played out in the snow for hours, and took a tumble down my stairs...I’m one hurting Old Crone tonight...

Peace,

OC