To the man who held the door,

I want to thank you for being thoughtful and considerate. I don’t know you’re name, I don’t even know why you chose to hold the door for me. I don’t know if you held the door to feel a sense of validation when I said “thank you.” I don’t know if you held it because you have sisters and that’s what you would want someone to do for them. I don’t know if you held the door for me because that’s what your father taught you to do, or if you held it simply because you were trying to be nice. It doesn’t matter the reason, it just matters that you held the door open for me. So, thank you.

In a society that is growing increasingly introverted and self-absorbed, it was nice to be shown a simple act of kindness by a stranger. Your selfless act, that you probably didn’t even think twice about, renewed my hope for humanity. Nowadays, I feel like people have taken the “common” out of “common curtesy.” An egocentric world tied up in smart phones and virtual friendships is slowly silencing the inner voice inside of us that says “hello” to someone we walk past on the street, or that waves out the window at another car driving past.

Thank you for doing something simple and unselfish. One act of kindness, even though not extensive or exhaustive, really does make a difference. To someone who is having a bad day or is frustrated or sad, the small things make the biggest impact.

Keep holding the door for people, and you will notice that not only will you make those around you feel appreciated, but you yourself will benefit. Kindness is not something that travels in a single direction. Eventually, you will be able to see that not only does your thoughtfulness penetrate the lives of those you help, but that joyful feeling that they feel will bounce back on you as you observe their reactions. Who knows? Your holding the door open for someone may in-turn inspire them to hold the door for someone else, thus extending the influence of your thoughtfulness.

So, even though I still don’t know who you are, and you probably won’t even read this, I just needed to try to show you how much it meant. Just know that you made a difference, and your actions did not go unnoticed. Thank you!