Random Acts Of Kindness - Acknowledgement - Praise

The following passage from the book Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli discusses why people do acts of goodness or good things.

One day she bought a small plant, an African violet in a plastic pot on sale for ninety-nine cents at a drugstore.

“Who’s it for?” I asked her.

“I’m not exactly sure,” she said. “I just know that someone at an address on Marion Drive is in the hospital for surgery, so I though whoever’s back home could use a little cheering up.”

… We went to the house on Marion Drive… She tied the violet ribbon around the pot. I held her bike while she set the plant by the front door.

Riding away, I said, “Why don’t you leave a card or something with your name on it?”

The question surprised her. “Why should I?”

Her question surprised my. “Well, I don’t know, it’s just the way people do things. They expect it. They get a gift, they expect to know where it came from.”

“Is that important?”

“Yeah, I guess-“

… Getting credit…

“What about it?”

Well, it’s nice to get credit.”The spokes of her rear wheel spun behind the curtain of her long skirt. She looked like a photograph from a hundred years ago. She turned her wide eyes on me. “Is it?” she said.

Jerry Spinelli (2000). Stargirl Scholastic: New York. pages 110-111.

This passage initiates thoughts, questions, and discussion. Possible questions for discussion:

 

Dr. Robert Sweetland's Notes ©