By Deborah Malone

Acts of kindness can come in all sizes. Some big and some small. I can think of an act of kindness I’d consider big that occurred in my life when my daughter needed to go in the hospital for surgery. She would be going to Atlanta which is about an hour (two if the traffic is bad) from our home. I’m a single mom and would have had to go by myself. A friend of mine offered to go with me. She packed her bag and stayed with us for an entire week until we returned home. I will never forget what she did for us.

But I want to focus on the small acts of kindness that we can do every day for others. When we have a family and responsibilities to take care of we sometimes forget or just don’t have the time to help others like we want to. I want to list a few acts of kindness that I do and some I’d like to do that take only a few seconds to accomplish. Can you think of others?

• Leave a little bit of toilet paper hanging off the roll so the next person won’t have to fumble for it.
• Open the door for others – especially those who are disabled.
• Smile!
• Start a conversation with a stranger.
• If someone needs a few cents to keep from breaking a dollar hand it to them.
• Return a shopping cart.
• Turn off the lights.
• Share a positive blog post.
• Laugh often!
• Unload the dishwasher.
• Start a kindness journal or blog. (This is what Jennifer did!)
• Send an e-card.

These are just a few things we can do in our everyday walk in life. They aren’t hard and the more we do them the more they will become second nature to us. I challenge you to think of one or two more and write them in the comments so we can use them, too. Jennifer, thank you for your kindness and for having me on your blog. I know Jennifer personally and have been the recipient of her kindness – something I will always treasure! Now go forth and be kind 🙂

Deborah Malone’s first novel Death in Dahlonega, finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Category Five writing contest! Deborah was also nominated for 2011 and 2012 Georgia Author of the Year in Novel category. She has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, for the historic magazine “Georgia Backroads” since 2001. She has had many articles and photographs published, and her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails,” edited by Olin Jackson, as well as the “Christian Communicator.” She is a member of Georgia Writer’s Association, Advanced Writer’s and Speaker’s Association and the American Christian Fiction Writers.

You can find Deborah at: www.deborah-malone.com

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