When I found Dory, she had sunk through the waste of at least half a dozen other lunches, her expression still cheerfully shining from the side of a clear, plastic bottle, despite her circumstance. To be honest, I wasn't even sure she was the thing I was looking for, but when the little girl beside me with the tear-streaked cheeks stopped crying and broke into a smile, I knew I had found what she'd lost.
Being so eager to dump the remnants of her lunch, the girl accidentally threw her water bottle away too, her teacher explained, looking rather helpless. Without my dishwashing gloves, I would have looked rather helpless as well, as the three of us peered into the murky depths of the cafeteria trash can. Half-eaten quesadillas and apricots greeted us, looking a lot less appealing than they had 20 minutes ago on the lunch line. One of us had to get our hands dirty, and since I was the only one wearing gloves, I volunteered.
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Looking at the girl, as she cried herself to hiccoughs, I remembered myself in my school years. If I had $1 for every fork, spoon and ice pack I'd accidentally chucked into the trash, I still wouldn't be able to afford the replacements. Usually, I wouldn't even remember that there was ice or a utensil involved in my meal until long after I'd made it home. Her water bottle must have been pretty special if she was this upset, so I had to find it for her. It was the right thing to do.
It was hardly my first time digging through the trash to help somebody out, but there are always much easier ways to check one's daily deed box. If helpful acts are quantified by some sort of "good deed quota," dumpster diving should count for at least triple the going rate, if not more. But I don't do it for the bonus points.
Reuniting a little girl with her lost water bottle may not seem like a big deal, but it meant the world to her and her teacher that I went out of my way and stopped washing lunch trays to come investigate. When I found Dory, the girl's whole day turned around. No more worry. No more tears.
Helping people doesn't have to be a big deal. It could be as simple as holding a door for someone, or retrieving something from a shelf that's beyond another person's reach. Helping could be as simple as improving someone's day with a kind word, or as elaborate as teaching someone a new skill.
When was the last time somebody really helped you out or surprised you with an unexpected act of kindness? When was the last time you found yourself helping someone else?
Be generous with your kindness. Look for ways to help. And don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.
