When did being a good person become something worth celebrating rather than something we should simply expect from one another?
Somewhere along the way, we’ve gotten so accustomed to selfishness, disrespect and indifference that even the smallest acts of kindness seem extraordinary. Holding a door open, checking on a friend, offering a helping hand or simply treating someone with respect shouldn’t be surprising. It should be normal.
The truth is, we never really know what someone else is carrying. We don’t know what happened before they walked into the room, what they’re struggling with behind closed doors or how much effort it took just to get through the day. Sometimes, a simple kind word, a little patience or a genuine act of compassion can mean more to someone than we’ll ever realize.
I think we’ve become so caught up in our own lives that we sometimes forget there are other people living theirs. We’re quick to judge, quick to criticize and sometimes even quicker to walk away when someone needs us. We spend so much time worrying about what other people think of us that we forget to consider how our actions make other people feel.
And here’s the thing: being a good person doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t require a lot of money, a large platform or some grand gesture. It doesn’t mean you have to agree with everyone, like everyone or be everyone’s best friend. It simply means treating people with decency, even when you have nothing to gain from it.
It means keeping your word. It means showing up when you say you will. It means being happy for someone else’s success without comparing it to your own. It means apologizing when you’re wrong and understanding that your actions can have an impact long after you’ve forgotten about them.
It also means being kind when nobody is watching. Anyone can put on a good show when there is an audience. Anyone can post about kindness, share an inspirational quote or talk about how much they care about others. But who are you when there is nothing to gain? How do you treat the person who can’t do anything for you? How do you speak about people who aren’t in the room?
I firmly believe that the way we make people feel is one of the most important things we leave behind. People may not remember every conversation or every detail, but they will remember how they felt in your presence. They will remember who checked on them, who encouraged them, who made them laugh and who showed up when life wasn’t so easy.
I also think we underestimate how much good we can do simply by being intentional. A phone call to someone you haven’t heard from in a while, a compliment you could have kept to yourself or taking a few extra minutes to listen to someone can make an ordinary day a little brighter. We don’t always need to have the right words or the perfect solution. Sometimes, people just need to know somebody cares.
Life is already hard enough without making it harder for one another. We are all trying to figure things out, make ends meet, maintain relationships, chase dreams and find our place in the world. Wouldn’t it be a little easier if we gave each other a little more grace along the way?
I’m not suggesting that we all have to be perfect. None of us are. We all have bad days, make mistakes and occasionally say things we wish we could take back. But there is a difference between being imperfect and making no effort to be better. We should always be willing to look at ourselves, recognize where we fall short and make an effort to treat people better tomorrow than we did yesterday.
At the end of the day, I don’t think people will remember us for how popular we were, how much money we made or how many people knew our names. I think they’ll remember the kindness we showed, the encouragement we gave and the difference we made in the lives of the people around us.
The world doesn’t need more people trying to prove they’re better than everyone else. It needs more people willing to be better to one another.
So, check on your friends. Encourage someone who is chasing a dream. Celebrate other people’s accomplishments. Hold the door open. Say thank you. Apologize when you’re wrong. Give people the benefit of the doubt. And, most importantly, be the kind of person who makes someone else’s day a little easier simply because you crossed paths.
Being a good person shouldn’t make you the exception. It should be the expectation.
And if there’s one thing I hope we never run out of, it’s people who genuinely care.
