Day 19: Friday, June 27, 2014:

By now, you may have already heard about the deliberate and selfless act of kindness by actress Amy Adams (If not, you can read a short article here). In summary, upon seeing a man dressed in his military uniform on her flight, she quietly asked to switch seats with the man. Adams was ticketed for first class, and the man she switched seats with was in coach. For so many reasons this story brought such a joy to my heart.

First, I was moved by Adams’ incredible humility in it all. She didn’t ask for thanks or make a spectacle. Adams displayed true grace and character while reaching out to selflessly to show thanks and admiration for another human soul.

Character is defined by what you do when no one is looking

It’s not about doing things to be heralded by the masses and adored by throngs of people. No matter what people say, it’s not. I think for some, they need public affirmations from an endless pool to make them feel worthy. And to a degree I understand why people feel that way. I know and understand that the desire to be loved so publicly stems from insecurities and feeling inadequate. However, the desire or need to be thanked for our acts of kindness diminishes them. You see, life isn’t about doing what’s right or easy when everyone is looking. For those of you whom have taken my fitness classes or been in my class, I speak often about our character.

From what I have observed, people are seeking some sort of validation, or desire to be patted on their backs for ‘doing the right thing’. WHY? Who started this terrible trend of if-you-do-this-then-you-get-something?! This thought process is a pervasive pollutant in our society. Random and in Adams’ case, deliberate, acts of kindness are so few and far between that when they are bestowed upon us, people are hesitant to accept them. We must stop asking, “What do I get out of this?” but rather act in the faith of true service to assist someone else because you want to and because it’s the right thing to do.