Some time ago, I was just thinking about the positive things that pop into my head whenever I am out and around other people.  It may be in the grocery store, in line at the at the post office, at work, or in a park and I will think, “Wow!  That man is so patient.”  Or, I might see a person who just lights up a room with her smile, or someone who has a sunny disposition.  And at times, I have heard co-workers talk very highly of a colleague when the person is not present in the room.

So one day, I thought to  myself, “Why not tell these people the positive things that I think, or observe, or know about them.  Isn’t it a waste of positive energy to just let it stop there, unexpressed?”  Good things are blessings and I think that they are meant to be shared.  And so, I decided to act upon them and see what would happen.  It was a little experiment.  That’s all.

Of course, I thought there was no way this could fail to be a good thing.  After all, what was there to lose?  But I was amazed by how it made me feel just to think about telling them.  It was really wonderful to think that I would be able to share a little joy with people that I didn’t even have to know.

So the next time I had a thought that was positive, I just flat out said it.  I think the first time  it might have been to a cashier who was handling difficult customers with so much grace and patience.  I just told her that I had observed and appreciated the great job she was doing. The way she was dealing with the rudeness of the people she was serving was truly admirable.  I wish you could have seen the look on her face when I said those words.  She was so surprised and grateful for my appreciation.  I felt like we we sharing a brief moment of connection that was like affection.  I guess you could say it was a feeling of human kindness.  And I am not overplaying what happened.  It was profound.

In our culture, I think we have become very cynical. On top of that, in this world of distractions and busyness, it is hard to just take a moment and breathe, let alone think positive thoughts. But taking that moment to observe the people around us, and notice those good things, is an antidote to the negativity that we often feel.

I did hear a whole room of teachers talk about another teacher who was not present.  They were all so impressed by the job she was doing with her class, working with emotionally disabled students.  So, the next time I saw her, I stopped her in the hall and told her about what people had said about her, and asked if she knew this.  She was shocked and seemed unable to believe me for a moment.  And then she thanked me so much for telling her.  I said that I was just sharing the words I had heard expressed and I thought that she should know.

Every time I do this experiment, I am blessed by the experience.  It makes me happy to be the bearer of good news.  How could it no be so?