What are you spreading?

I just started reading a book today titled, “Infectious Generosity” by Chris Anderson.  I don’t even know if it’s any good yet. I’ve only read the introduction, but I absolutely love the premise.  The author uses the metaphor of rapidly transmitted infectious disease (ex: COVID) to talk about how powerful and transformative generosity can be when it is shared and “spread” from person to person using the interconnectedness and rapid communication of modern technology.

The idea came from the observation that when people see examples of someone else being generous - either in person or online - they are inspired to be more generous.  When someone reads a story or sees a video of someone helping others, they are often moved to go and help someone themselves because of the feelings it evoked.  I experienced this recently when I saw the video footage posted on Facebook of people running to help those whose cars fell into the giant sink hole here in Omaha.  Seeing people give of themselves in that way - responding almost immediately with efforts to help - stirred up feelings of gratitude and hope within me.  It improved my mood and made me feel more kindly towards people in general!  I wasn’t there, but just by seeing it, I was impacted.  When we see others behaving generously, it impacts us and it can inspire us to give of ourselves in generous ways.

Like I said, I’ve only just started the book, but this idea got me thinking about how much we impact one another without realizing it.  Whether we are posting about it on-line or whether what we do and say is only seen and heard by the people around us, our actions and our words impact others.  What we share and what we give - for good or for bad - can inspire the actions of others.  If we give out hostility, cruelty, and hatred, those things multiply and spread - infecting those around us and being transmitted out into the world in ways we may never realize.  In the same way, when we share love - when we give out words of encouragement and hope or acts of generosity and kindness, all of that is also infectious and it multiplies and grows as it is spread from person to person.  What an amazing thought, that our tiny words of kindness or small acts of love can be powerful.  That these little things can be transmitted and spread around, growing and infecting others so that more love and kindness grows!

It is easy to think that we cannot have much impact on the world around us.  The problems of the world are so big and each of us is so small.  And yet, as St Paul reminds us, we are one body - we are all connected!  Even the little things that we do and say have an impact - have the ability to spread and grow.  Our words and our actions can be contagious.  So, what are you spreading?