A Game Anyone Can Play

The most miserable people live in their own little worlds of
isolation. They do little for others and rarely have much fun.

I heard of one older gentleman who was considered by the townspeople
to be both rich and thrifty. His austerity earned him the reputation
of a miser. When he died, everyone expected the authorities to find
money stashed everywhere in his home. All they found were a few gallon
cans filled with coins.

It came out that he had used most of his money to help put needy young
students through college. And the coins filled his pockets as he
walked down the streets of the business districts looking for cars
whose parking meters had expired. When he found one, he would drop in
a coin. One of his neighbors commented, "That explains why he looked
so happy and contented!"

Of course! People who go out of their way to help others will always
be happy.

I once tried the same thing with parking meters. I decided that,
whenever possible, I would look for expired meters and drop in a coin.
It became a game to see how many I could find just around my own car.

Then I learned something disturbing. I discovered it was illegal to do
that in the city where I lived. When I learned that I was breaking the
law, I quit looking for meters to feed. And I lost an extra bit of joy
I found in anonymously helping out a stranger.

I believe that now it's time to change the rules of the game. It can
be about doing something kind for somebody else - anything! - and not
getting caught. Anonymous notes or cards ... flowers on a desk ...
raking leaves in secret ... you get the idea. The trick is to remain
anonymous. Plan in secret, act in secret, and most of all, have fun.

It's a game that is guaranteed to make you smile. And best of all,
everyone is allowed to play.