Kindness Math

Photo provided by Photos by MJ

We each have the gift of 86,400 seconds per day. Sharing only 17 seconds, or .000196% of a day for an act of kindness still leaves us 86,383 seconds. Small investment, isn’t it? If we are too busy to spare .000196% of our time each day, we are too busy!

Recently I enjoyed a book that reminded me this great life lesson. The man in the story discovered that in just a matter of a short time, in this instance, 17 seconds, significant things can happen. When this young man was a lifeguard someone drowned on his ‘watch’ in a matter of about 17 seconds. He determined to heal from this tragedy by dedicating his life to reminding others to routinely take 17 seconds to encourage others along their way.

I have been applying the 17 seconds of kindness a day in my life. Just today I passed a sweet elderly woman on a sidewalk. We exchanged greetings, and then she told me that at first she thought I was her daughter in law who lives in another state. I asked her what she would have done if it was indeed her daughter in law that was there in front of her. She told me she would have hugged her. I asked if it was okay if I hugged her. She agreed and I did. I complimented her on her pretty purple framed sunglasses. As we parted, I said “by the way, my name is Susan”. She then revealed that her name was Sarah…”Sarah with an “h” on the end”, she said. So to all the Sarah’s with an “h” on the end and all the other incredible people that I do not know but share time on this planet with, thank you for lifting my mood when I share that .000196% of time in my day!