what's the ROI on kindness?

I had returned from a lovely four and a half days sunning, reading, wading in cold Atlantic waters on miles of sandbars, eating lots of fresh fish and vegetables. The four-hour trek home was safe and relatively easy with only a few traffic slow-downs at the usual spots – not bad for a summer drive. Still, I arrived home in time to do two loads of laundry and find something in the freezer to heat up for supper before I sank into the couch with the happy cat purring on my lap while I watched a little TV. Bedtime was early and sleep came easily.

The next morning, I had some obligations (feed my daughter’s dog) and some errands (including buying some tomatoes and peppers) to run before I could really just go home and completely crash. I was happy but tired from my week and the long drive home.

At the produce market, my last stop, I had forgotten to bring in a bag. The cashier asked me if I wanted to run back to my car and get it but I told her no, and that I’d buy one. She rang up my tomatoes and peppers, put them in a brand-new recyclable bag and said, “I’m not going to charge you for the bag.”

Ten cents! Ten cents was all it took for me to be feeling good for the next 48 hours. What a very small kindness and what a lasting effect. The return on her investment in me was a contented, buoyant mood that went on and on. I was happy.

The smallest thing – a comment, picking up something that was dropped accidentally, a smile, waving someone ahead at the intersection, a pat on the back – whatever it might be and however mundane it might seem to you can make all the difference in a person’s day.

Kindness costs you nothing, or next-to-nothing. Use it often. Spread it widely. The return on your investment will be a happier community. And, it can come back to reflect on you in unexpected and sometimes, surprising, ways.

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8/18/25