random prayers of kindness

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale tells of his habit of praying for people as he passes them. He realized one day as he passed someone that that brief fraction-of-a-second encounter was probably the only time their paths would ever cross. He wondered how that man’s life would turn out, and offered a prayer for him. He started praying for other strangers, the woman hanging out laundry for a large family, the homeless man, the child. It became a life-long habit, and part of his character.

I started following Dr. Peale’s example two years ago and have been impressed with the results. Of course I don’t know the effect of my prayers on the individuals for whom I pray, but I have seen an interesting change in myself. I find I am more aware of those around me; I take notice of people who would otherwise go unnoticed. I find I care more about others, wondering at what struggles they are facing; I am drawn out in compassion for them. Often the noticing and the caring lead to opportunities for random acts of kindness, a sweet connection between strangers, a loving thing, really, and something we’ll never get enough of in this world.