Megan Cavanaugh

By Megan Cavanaugh

Everyone has a New Year’s resolution — whether it’s losing weight, getting a promotion, or staying organized, a New Year’s resolution helps us keep our goals intact and realize what truly matters to us.

Although I have thought of and followed a few different resolutions so far, my new school year resolution is what has really been driving me.

Starting off my senior year in high school, I got to thinking about how, with one simple act, I could have a big enough impact to positively affect someone’s day. Shortly after this epiphany, I began going to grocery stores to buy a balloon for a child or give away a bouquet of flowers to a complete stranger. After performing these kind acts and realizing how wonderful they made me feel, I brought up the idea of having a Random Acts of Kindness club at my high school, Fryeburg Academy.

After talking with my school guidance counselor, the new club CAKE (Caring Acts of Kindness Everyday) was created. I made it my “new school year resolution” to, with the help of the CAKE members, perform random acts of kindness throughout our community and to spread the practice through other communities as well.

As a group, we have sent holiday cards to the local nursing home and have created cards to show support to members of our community. Throughout performing these acts of kindness, I also realized how simple they can be. From holding a door open for someone to helping a member of your community, these simple acts can brighten someone’s day and even change the way they go about their life.

As you make your New Year’s resolution, I ask that you consider participating in random acts of kindness and help brighten other’s days by holding the door open, giving away a balloon or a similar gesture.

Lately, some people have even paid for the person behind them at drive-thru or picked up the tab for a stranger at the gas pump. I want you to know that your act of kindness doesn’t need to involve money. I encourage you to take a minute and think about the ways you could help someone in need or even as part of your daily routine. I believe you will find that one small and simple act of kindness can completely change how someone goes about their day and you may be surprised by how good you feel after bringing happiness into somebody's life.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for CAKE or simply want to participate in more random acts of kindness but don’t know where to start, I suggest visiting www.randomactsofkindness.org/ to help get your ideas flowing.

We are all part of a great community and joining CAKE or performing an act of kindness is one way we can all show how much we care about each other.

Thank you and I hope you take advantage of the next chance you get to brighten someone's day!

Megan Cavanaugh is a senior at Fryeburg Academy. She is the daughter of John and Lori Cavanaugh of Denmark.