In a queue

Week 3 of the acts of kindness initative focuses on small favors. Last week I was the recipient of a favor. I was standing on line at a supermarket behind two Indian women whose shopping carts were filled to the brim. I had only one item to purchase and I resigned myself to waiting when the older woman turned and motioned to me to go before her. She also told her daughter to let me go ahead of her so that I was ushered to the head of the queue. I thanked the woman profusely and resolved to do the same for someone when the opportunty presented itself.
My mother was shopping in Costco a few weeks ago, all by her lonesome. She turned to a young Orthodox boy and asked him if he would like to do a mitzvah. He acquiesced readily and helped my mother load the groceries into her car.
Here are the suggestions for week 3.

In the supermarket:
1. offer someone with fewer items to go ahead on the cashier line.
2. offer to help someone who is having difficulty reaching their groceries to load them on the conveyor belt and into their car.
3. return our grocery carts to the front of the store
2. Let’s hold doors open for others, such as; mothers with strollers, wheelchairs, someone juggling packages or just as a kindness for the person behind or in front of us.
3. Let’s clean up after ourselves. When in shul – put away siddurim. In fast food eateries, clear the table. In public places throw garbage in trash cans. In clothing stores, hang up your clothes in the dressing rooms. As a guest in someone’s home- offer to clear the table or put away toys that your children have played with.
4. Call someone who is homebound and offer to pick up something for them. The most effective way is to say- “I am in this store (grocery, drugstore) now can I get something for you? Or if they can leave their house- but have no transportation- offer to take them with you.
5. Offer a ride to those in need: If someone is waiting at a bus stop, or someone is walking with packages, if someone is walking in the rain, even if someone seems to be walking for pleasure or exercise- it is always nice to offer- are you walking because you want to or do you need a ride? Offer a ride to people going to a simcha who do not drive or who are alone and do not have a way of getting there.
6. Let’s avoid making illegal u-turns, speeding or double parking especially Erev Shabbos and Erev Yom Tov.
7. When vying for a parking spot, be the one to allow the other to take the spot. Allow other drivers to have the right of way and be considerate of pedestrians crossing the street.