Random Acts of Kindness
Helping another can reduce stress, improve health, and its infectious!
Jun 7, 2006
I'm euphoric today and it didn't cost me a cent. I didn't ingest or sniff anything. Nor did I win a lottery, receive an inheritance, or get a big contract. What I did do was to show kindness toward an elderly woman in distress.
In my recent article,Kindness and Your Health, I wrote that acts of kindness have been shown to reduce stress, increase happiness, and bring greater health to the giver. In a related blog entry that week I said, "For a dose of euphoria, deliver an unexpected act of kindness to someone today. You'll feel great."
Last week I wrote about it. Today I experienced it. Euphoria was waiting for me as I left my dentist's office. Absorbed in my own thoughts, I headed toward my car barely noticing the small, white-haired, elderly woman standing a few yards to my right on the sidewalk.
Then I heard a small voice, turned toward the woman and realized she was saying, "help me, help me." I ran over to her and took hold of her arm to steady her. I recognized her from the waiting room and assumed she was dizzy or sick from a dental procedure, but she said "I'm afraid I'm going to fall." She was faced with crossing a small grassy island to reach her car, and she was literally shaking with fright at the thought of the uneven ground she had to cross.
After steadying her for a short time, I helped her across the island and saw her safely into her car. She thanked me and I noticed her shaking had stopped, so I felt comfortable leaving her, though I asked the dental receptionist to call to make sure the woman arrived home safely.
As I got into my car I suddenly felt tearfully joyous. Euphoria. The dictionary defines euphoria as a feeling of well being, elation. That doesn't come close to capturing my feeling of euphoria. Take blissful, joyous, happy, peaceful, and loving and blend them all together; that's euphoria. And it happened with just a simple act of kindness. I hadn't been courageous or heroic. I hadn't performed a life-saving act. I hadn't overcome great odds or formidable opponents, I had simply taken a few moments to assist someone in distress.
Her thank you was brief, though heartfelt and sincere. I recall that our eyes met as she thanked me and something wonderful passed between us; perhaps a touching of our souls. The euphoria I enjoyed came from within, perhaps from the space of our shared souls.
As I write this several hours later, the pleasant feeling persists; not as strong as it was, but very pleasant. All this from one kind act. Euphoria can't be purchased, though we often try to do so. Euphoria is just an act of kindness away.
