Random act of kindness makes his day

By Rich Glennie
Amid the chaos and carnage of modern American society, it happened again. No, not another mass shooting or another sex scandal. Rather it was that rarer commodity … a random act of kindness.
It happened recently on one of our morning walks around town. Karen and I were walking on the side of Union Avenue near 12th Street. It was prior to the expiration of Daylight Savings Time, so it was still quite dark.
As we were passing the intersection, Karen heard a woman holler from across the street. We stopped to see what was the matter as the woman, with her daughter in tow, braved the morning traffic to cross Union Avenue.
When they got to our side, the young girl handed me a poster. She had drawn it for the occasion. It read:
“We (heart drawn) that you make us smile every day!! Thank you for waving!!” it was signed Breckynn.
It also included a drawing of my wife and me walking.
Wow! What a kind thought by such a young person. Needless to say, Breckynn made our day. I proudly held onto that bright orange poster as we continued our walk that day.
It came as such a surprise, I failed to get their last names or see what kind of vehicle they were driving. I was too stunned by the kind act to pay better attention.
Since that day, we continue to walk each morning, waving at all the motorists we encounter. I don’t know most of them, but I wave at them all anyway. It’s our way of saying “Good morning!” whether they wave back or not. That’s makes my day, too.
Waving doesn’t cost anyone anything, and obviously it can make someone’s day and create a little smile. If it does, that’s great. If it doesn’t, there will be more opportunities. As long as we are capable of walking, we’ll continue waving.
Breckynn, you and your mother made our day. Keep up the good work.
By the way, we have the poster on our fridge door. Since our kids are grown and grandkids live out of town, it’s nice to decorate the refrigerator again with artwork. It’s a good reminder that there are a lot more good people out there than bad, despite what the TV talking heads and national media report.
Rich Glennie was the editor of The Chronicle for 23 years. He retired Aug. 1, 2014.