Acts of Kindness

I did a podcast this past week with Patrick O’Shaughnessy behind the Investor Field Guide.  He came over to my office and we just talked.  It is how I like to do podcasts.  We just talked about areas that I have invested in including the arts, food, and NYC.   Really enjoyable to talk with him and I will post the podcast when it comes out.

He asked me one question at the end of the podcast which I have thought about doing and perhaps I should.  It creates a consistency in some ways of all the people who come on.  His last question is “what is the kindest thing that anyone has ever done for you”?

Some people know this answer immediately, I did not.  I have asked a few people the same question since he asked me.  I try to be kind to people and go that extra mile.  I am always struck by people who say kind things about me when introducing me to someone.  Everyone feels good when someone says nice things about them.  In general, I believe that most people want to be kind.  Kind comes in many forms.  It can be as simple as someone holding the door for you and as complex as someone doing something that can change the direction of your life.

That question has made me think more about the importance of kindness in our every day lives.  I am still searching for the kindest thing that anyone has ever done for me and perhaps I will never figure it out but it is the randoms that have added up.

As we enter the holiday season, in a world that seems more insane every day, kindness is something that we can all hold dear to make each day brighter.