Because I am a wounded veteran, people are very kind to me. I’m kind of lucky in that respect. I’ll go out on a date or have dinner with my family. More times than I can count, my meal or the whole dinner gets paid for anonymously. I don’t like the anonymous part though. I wish I could at least thank them. I’m a guy that believes in treating people how you want to be treated.
I try to perform random acts of kindness for others. I want to use my strengths to help people in whatever way I can. Sometimes, I step in and pay for things for people. Or, say that I am at a coffee place and someone ahead of me is short, I’ll try to step in and help them out. I donate things or donate my time. I like to visit VA hospitals to meet soldiers. One summer, I spent a week at a summer camp in Kentucky called the Center for Courageous Kids. It was a great experience to connect with the kids, who had physical disabilities, just like me. Being kind to others is important because I think everything comes full circle. I believe in karma and that all of us should treat each other better
I think random acts of kindness are important because that’s what we do. We share knowledge, pass things along and help each other through this game of life. Plus, it shows others that we’re not all selfish and only looking out for ourselves. Random acts of kindness can give people their faith back.
So, I say to those anonymous people out there who have bought my dinner: THANK YOU!
About Bryan Anderson: Bryan grew up and resides in Illinois. Injured by an IED in October 2005, Bryan is one of the few triple amputees to survive his injuries in Iraq. He is an ambassador for the Gary Sinise Foundation and a spokesperson for USA Cares, which is focused on assisting post 9-11 veterans. Click here to learn more about Bryan.