I went through the drive through Starbucks in Northfield this morning. Two chocolate milks, two donuts, and a tall hazelnut latte.

When I got to the window, the nice barista informed me that the lady in front of me had paid for my order. All $8.57 of it!

I managed a flabbergasted "What? Why? Wow!"

"It happens a lot," the barista told me.

So I paid for the lady behind me.

As I pulled out, I heard the same "What? Why? Wow!" exchange going on.

I have to say, it made my day.

Sure, it was a little thing, but an unexpected act of kindness went a long way. Why don't we do things like that more often?

So here's a little homework assignment: go out of your way tomorrow to make someone's load a little lighter. Buy coffee for the person in line behind you. Hold the door open for that mom with a toddler.  Buy a bouquet of flowers and leave one on each of your neighbor's doorsteps. Yes, give that homeless guy who stands in the median at Monaco & Colfax a $20 bill.

And tell me how it went.