People are tired—worn-out. 

We have all had a long day. I live in Minnesota, where it’s either deathly hot or deathly cold—there is no in-between. I see ladies and gentlemen gathering all of those clanky metal grocery carts, and I think: 

I can barely drive one of those things; I can’t imagine trying to manipulate 10 of them into a single-file line—especially in the rain, sleet, or snow. 

My teenage son once had a summer job at a grocery store. Now, I think of him when I’m questioning whether it’s worth walking my cart all the way back. 

It’s kind of like my little act of kindness (that goes unnoticed for the most part), but I can pat myself on the back knowing I’m making a difference in a small way for grocery store employees. 

You might say, “Well, that’s their job.” But that kind of mentality never makes me feel good inside. It’s not me against them. So, I say, “isn’t it nice when you’re at your job, and someone does something to make your day a little better?”

If we are truly all in this together, and what goes around comes around, then I hope to make my impact as positive as possible. My interactions with others may be quick and less deep these days because of social distancing, but I really want to make a difference—lighten someone else’s load, so to speak.

It’s like a random act of kindness, similar to the people who pay for each other’s Starbucks drinks—but cheaper.

I wonder what other elf-like ways I could go around making people’s days a little easier?

Have any good ones? I’d love to hear! 

We need all the help we can get, as always. But we need it now more than ever with COVID-19.

Grocery store employees are working their tails off to provide a service most of us don’t think twice about. But—food for thought—what if we offered them a thank you in return? What if we made a simple gesture like walking our own dang carts back after shopping to save someone else the trip? 

I don’t know about you, but the news feels heavy right now. Social media feels draining. 

I know I need to look outside of myself—less for ways for myself to feel filled up, but more for ways that I can lift up others. I realize that, lately, I have a hard time getting outside of myself—thinking about others when things feel dark and heavy. 

So, I hope my small, positive interactions and gestures will have a ripple effect on others.

I want to be a light, but I think it starts small; it starts with walking our carts back to the store.

It’s a step in the right direction (literally).