I’d like to believe that contrary to popular opinion, most people are good.

I’d like to believe that most people are doing what they can to live good lives, and that people have the best of intentions most of the time.

I’d like to believe that most people are focused on raising good kids, doing the best that they can at work, and building their communities.

I’d like to believe the small contributions we make in our own homes, families, and circles of influence make a difference in the world around us. 

I’m tired of hearing that everyone is terrible, that we are all victims, and that the other side is always wrong.

So I tried a little experiment, I’ve been looking for the people that are spreading “good”.

And you know what?

There are a TON of people spreading good.

As I’ve looked for the good I’ve seen:

The baseball coach that volunteers his time and energy teaching kids the fundamentals of the game.

The cashier at the grocery store that gives a crying kid a sticker and makes their day.

The preschool teacher that is always ready with a smile and a hug, and the reassurance that “they will be fine” despite the screaming and tears.

The friend that texts to check in just because it’s been awhile.

The Costco employee that brings Pokemon bracelets to give out to kids on a busy Saturday.

The neighbor that drops off the hand-me downs.

The friend that asks if she can take your kids off your hands for a few hours so you can get some stuff done.

The student that emails to let you know that they finally grasped a difficult concept.

The Sunday School teacher that fills in the gaps when your kid just won’t listen to anything you try and teach them.

The pediatrician that reassures you that you are doing “a great job!”.

The sister that sends you sappy country songs because she knows you will love them.

The “good” is everywhere.

There is evil in the world, but there is good too. The good is in the grocery store, the school, the church, the park, on the ball field, in the parking lot, and the pharmacy. The good is on the radio, the phone, and within the walls of our own homes.

The good is just waiting for us to  notice it.

The good I observed didn’t come from people who were going out of their way to change their behavior and spread kindness.

It came from people who were living normal “boring” lives.  It came from people who make kindness a daily pattern.

It came from people who probably don’t realize the impact they’re having on their community.

I’d like to think that we can all spread a little bit of good.

We don’t need to do something spectacular to spread good.

We can start small.

The “good” we spread can be as simple. We can check in with a friend, spend an extra few minutes with our kids at bedtime, wave to a neighbor, sincerely thank a teacher, or just sit and listen to someone.

This week, I’m going to work on being the good I want to see in the world, because even my small and seemingly insignificant contribution is worth something, and because the world can always use a little bit more good.