You probably almost scrolled past this image—a Starbucks gift card is typically nothing noteworthy. But, this one has a story.

A few weeks ago a package was delivered to my door. This year, and in particular with the holidays here, that was no surprise. I grabbed scissors to begin opening it and paused—oh, this isn’t mine. It actually was labeled to a former tenant (who lived here 2+ years ago). The package was also mailed overnight—clearly urgent!

A phone number was listed on the label, so I gave it a shot. A young woman answered—and boy had she had quite the run around with this package. She’d ordered it a month ago and it never arrived. This was her second attempt—and clearly that was a miss. She stopped by a few days later to pick it up. I was just so glad to have helped her.I didn’t think much about it again until I received a note in the mail along with this Starbucks gift card. She wrote, “…your unexpected kindness was just what I needed. I hope I am able to return the favor to someone else if I’m ever in the same situation.”

Guys, I gave her back what was hers—it’s a simple lesson we learn in Kindergarten. And yet, people have gotten so distant and cold, that something so obvious and clear stands out as a wonderful gesture.

I challenge you today to PAUSE. I then challenge you to SEE people. Really see them and connect with them. The world is hurting for genuine interaction and unexpected kindness. Imagine the impact you can have if you “see” one person per day and influence their life in some ordinary, yet completely unexpected way. Ripple effects of love and kindness are real, and it’s no secret that people could really, really use that this year.