Gifts from the heart.

Dec 4, 2025

Betsy Harvey, MEd, LCMHCA, LSC

Something unexpected, uplifting, and impactful just took my Friday from ordinary to extraordinary. It began as a typical day- nothing out of the ordinary to report. I got thirsty, so I went through the drive-through of a fast-food restaurant and ordered a small beverage. I pulled up to the window to pay. The gentleman behind the glass immediately handed me my drink, waved away my card, smiled, gestured that I should drive away, and turned back to his work. I froze. A free drink for no reason?? What’s the catch? Am I being punk’d?

Eventually, I followed his directive and smiled ear to ear as I drove toward the street. I had just been the recipient of a random act of kindness. My emotional response to that kindness was more than feeling that I mattered, that I was seen, and that I was cared for in that moment. It was humbling. What did I do to deserve this more than any other person swinging through the drive-through on a Friday afternoon? It was reassuring. There are good people in the world willing to lead with kindness. It was motivating. Wow, I want to do this for someone else now. And for the remainder of the day, I scanned the area for some way that I could pay forward what I experienced.

It takes so little time to perform a small service for another, but the impact of that service is felt far beyond the time put into it. I sometimes feel discouraged that, as a society, we’re moving away from each other. We’re still recovering from the aftereffects of COVID, technology pulls us into a screen and away from each other, and we’re living in a time of polarized viewpoints. Random acts of kindness are becoming even more random. Things can feel discouraging, hopeless, confusing, depressing, and anxiety-provoking. What is the antidote?

I thought about the other side of an act of kindness: performing it. We all face different fears and stressors, but when we choose to help someone else, we assume a position of power for just a moment. We feel the freedom that comes with our choice, the hope that we created something good, the pride that we self-sacrificed, and the joy of witnessing the recipient’s response. It’s the best kind of power grab. And for just a moment, we can combat the anxious, depressed, hopeless, discouraging thoughts that often plague us. The power of kindness has great potential to grow, spread, and counter some of the darkness in our lives. It’s also a power that we can access any time, anywhere. There’s always someone who could use a little lift, and truth be told, we could too.

I had an exceptional Friday. Everything seemed to go my way after that moment. Or, maybe, the impact of receiving that kindness was a reset that allowed me to see things from a more grateful and appreciative point of view. I wish that whoever gave me that drink today could read this and realize the power of their action. With that simple choice, we both benefited from a surge of the best type of power-kindness. When you’re feeling low, perhaps try an act of kindness and take a moment to lean into the power you created. For my part, I’m going to keep this chain of kindness going in hopes that it will reach you too.