Invitation #7: Traveling Kindness
This excerpt from my book, “Simple Hospitality: An Invitation to Add Kindness to Your Everyday Life,” comes from one of my favorite chapters: Traveling Kindness.
Whether you're road-tripping, heading to the beach, or boarding a flight this summer, may this simple story remind you that hospitality isn’t limited to your own home—it can go with you wherever you go.
I hope you enjoy it!!
Once you have established your home as a place of kindness, it’s time to take that on the road. Be on the lookout to be kind, even if you don’t have a plan. You cannot do it for everyone, but you can do it for someone.
A couple years ago, my brother, Jim, and his family had a layover at the Orlando airport, not too far from our home. We wanted to see them, so I was trying to think how I could make it memorable. It was February, when the strawberries are in season in Florida, so I made a fresh strawberry pie, and we traveled to the airport with it. We took along plates and forks and had a party right there in the middle of Terminal A! It was memorable, for sure!
“Kindness is contagious, so find ways to spread it as often as you can.”
I have always enjoyed making bread. I do it the easy way, with an electric bread maker. I make a loaf, and hop into the car with the warm, fresh loaf in my front seat. Then I ask God, “Who do you want me to bless today?” Sometimes I will also have a copy of Our Daily Bread, one of my favorite devotional publications, with me to complete the gift, along with a short note. The bread will soon be gone, but the note and devotional will be something tangible for the person to keep, at least for a little while.
Many times, when our children were small and in the car with me as I went about my day, we would look for someone with whom we could share our loaf of bread. From a neighbor to a teacher to the family we carpool with, there’s always someone to receive what you have to give.
Traveling kindness does not always involve a random act of kindness, though. I try to listen and find out when friends or family members are sick. I know how it feels to be under the weather, and I try to bring what I would like when I’m not feeling well. One day, I learned that my friend Sara and her entire family were sick. I packed up some soup, crackers, and soda, along with a pretty card, and simply left these goodies at their front door. It doesn’t take that much to make someone’s day or to let them know that you are thinking of them. When those things are available, you can just grab them, pack them, and deliver! It’s kindness in the form of a care package. Kindness will look different for everyone.
One added benefit to taking others along as you spread kindness is that you can teach them how to do the same. I am often brought to tears as I hear about our children or grandchildren spreading kindness. They have caught the bug, and I am so proud of them! Kindness is contagious, so find ways to spread it as often as you can. In all the places we go throughout our day, we all have a choice. What kind of difference will you make in another person’s life?
I love how our oldest daughter has embraced teaching her children about the importance of learning someone’s name and being kind to others. Using someone's name is like music to their ears. They have a wonderful garbage man in their neighborhood named, Orville. Connor and Will are five and three years old, and they love the sound of the green garbage truck coming down their street on Tuesdays. Betsy has helped the boys draw pictures for Orville, and he proudly has them taped inside his garbage truck. Don’t you just love that?
Kindness is something we can all practice daily. What kind thing have you done today?
“Kindness is something we can all practice daily.”
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, or invitation as I like to call them, from my book! If you’d like to read more you can purchase it here.
