The most sincere acts of kindness, generosity and gratitude are performed when nobody is looking – when we think there aren’t any witnesses.
Caster Concepts Inc. received such an act of kindness last week, and it caused me to reflect upon ways in which to do the right thing.
The Pollock family sent us a thank you note for lowering our flags to half-mast. They’d lost a loved one in the war, and we’d lowered the flags to honor the soldier and the soldier’s family.
Despite their grief and loss, the Pollock family took the time to write us a thank you note.
The unbelievable expression of kindness and gratitude on the part of the Pollock family brought to mind an old saying about doing the next best thing. Paraphrasing, the saying goes: What you do when people aren’t looking is much more important than what you do when they are.
Our true natures emerge in private, behind the curtains – when we aren’t onstage performing in all the ways we’re expected to perform. Acts of kindness and generosity like the Pollock family’s thank you letter – those performed without expectation of thanks or recognition, define good character.
If – like the Pollock family – we’re kind and generous even when there are no witnesses, we’ll have the serenity that comes with knowing in our own hearts that we’re doing our best to be kind, helpful and caring members of society.
Special thank you to Jimmy Proteau for tending the flags in front of the building.
I’d welcome your comments about the ways in which kindness and generosity work in your life.