Random Acts of Kindness

               Last Sunday my wife and I stopped at our favorite fast food restaurant to pick up a couple of hamburgers. After placing our order at the drive-through window the attendant told us our bill would be $4.96. She then directed us to proceed to the next window where we would pay and pickup our order.

               When I arrived at the window I extended a $5 bill to the cashier. Instead of taking my money she said, “Your bill was taken care of by the driver in front of you. When he paid his bill he paid yours, too.”

               Quickly, I looked up to see if I could recognize, and perhaps, thank the person who paid my bill; but by that time the car in front of me had already moved into the flow of traffic. Obviously, the Good Samaritan didn’t want to be recognized or thanked. I was touched.

               As the day went on I reflected on the generosity of this anonymous benefactor. He had not spent much, just $4.96, but his anonymous generosity garnered a value that far exceeded his expenditure. By this simple gesture, he reminded me that the world is still filled with good-hearted people. In a day when news headlines so often give attention to the horrendous acts of ignoble people it’s important to remember good people still exist, kind people who care as much about a stranger’s happiness as they do their own.

               As I thought about this act of kindness I remembered another act of kindness I witnessed several years before. I was attending a practice round at the Masters Golf Tournament. Gary Player and Bernhard Langer were playing together. On the fourth hole, Player’s drive ended up a couple inches from the cup. When the golfers arrived at the hole, Player looked at Langer and jokingly said, “That’s a gimme, isn’t it?” 

               Langer, the sedate German relied, “Gary, you’re practicing for the Masters. You know there are no gimmes at the Masters.” 

               Player continued to tease. “Come on, Langer,” he said. “You won’t give me that putt? Why anybody could make that putt.” 

               Again Langer dryly responded, “Do what you want, Gary, but there are no gimmes at the Masters.”

               At that point, Player looked up into the stands and pointed to a young boy who looked to be six or seven years old. “Son, come down here and let’s show this man how to make this putt.” Hesitantly, the youngster left the stands and walked on to the green. When he approached Player, the seasoned golfer handed him his putter and said, “Now son, let’s show this man what you can do. Go ahead and putt my ball into the hole.” 

               The star struck lad took the putter and easily made the two inch putt. When the ball fell into the hole the crowd jumped to their feet and enthusiastically applauded. Quickly, Player fished the ball out of the hole, gave it to the child and directed him back to the stands. 

               As I thought about Player’s act of kindness, I realized it required very little from him – nothing more than a couple of minutes and the cost of a golf ball. But to that little boy, that act of kindness was worth so much more than Player invested. 

               That’s the magic in our random acts of kindness. They don’t cost us much, but in the end, the return on our investment is often greater than we could ever imagine.