Random Acts of Kindness

Amy Clay, School Psychologist

(Brunson Elementary, The Downtown School, Wiley Middle & Parkland High)

Most of us have heard the phrase "random acts of kindness" before.  If you'd like to learn more, there's even a Random Acts of Kindness Foundation and their website provides lots of suggestions and information.  The idea is to do something small that may create ripples, so that others will "pay it forward" by then engaging in random acts of kindness themselves.  Simple things like paying a compliment to someone or writing a note of thanks can have a positive impact on others.

Last week, you may have seen or read about Florida State University football player Travis Rudolph having lunch with a middle school student who has autism.  While visiting the school with several teammates, Mr. Rudolph saw a young man named Bo eating lunch alone at a table by himself.  Their lunch meeting was captured in a photo that has gained national media attention.

Mr. Rudolph's small act of kindness - choosing to join Bo for lunch - has created positive ripple effects in the life of this young man.  Bo no longer eats lunch alone.  At the end of the video, you can see Bo at a lunch table surrounded by peers.  He reports that he is a "superstar" now and that everyone wants to each lunch with him.  Mr. Rudolph says that he never expected his encounter with Bo to gain national attention, adding, "I just wanted it to become aware that everyone is the same, and one man can make a difference."  

The story continues to get even better, as Mr. Rudolph has remained in touch with Bo, giving him a personalized football jersey and inviting Bo and his mother to watch him play in a football game.  More updates are available in this story from FoxSports.

We encourage everyone to practice random acts of kindness whenever possible.  Who knows what kind of impact you could have on someone else?  Bo described his experience like this: "It was kind of like me sitting on a rainbow."