The people of Parramatta in Centenary Square welcomed the DoSomething Angels

RANDOM acts of kindness are often hard for people to put into practice, but a day like Do Something Day gives you the perfect excuse to just be nice.

Fairfield Advance editor Pam Walker, Canterbury Bankstown Express editor Antony Field and Fairfield Advance reporter Tricia Hamilton at Parramatta’s Centenary Square for DoSomething Day.

RANDOM acts of kindness are often hard for people to put into practice, but a day like Do Something Day gives you the perfect excuse to just be nice.

My second day on the Fairfield Advance team had me hitting the streets of downtown Parramatta to do something nice and spread some cheer as a Do Something Angel.

I started the day with some hesitation when I was told that I was going to hand out bottles of water and talk to total strangers, but once we put on our Do Something T-shirts and hit the streets, the response from passers-by was surprisingly positive.

People who looked like they didn’t want to speak to anyone actually stopped and listened to what I had to say, some even engaged in some wonderful conversation.

As I told them that the only thing I wanted in return for a free bottle of water was to go and do something nice for someone else, their scowl suddenly turned into a warm smile.

I found that I too was smiling and laughing with total strangers.

It’s interesting to watch the reaction of people who unexpectedly get someone smiling and being nice to them.

People thanked us for doing something good for once — it was rewarding to feel appreciated.

I even learned some interesting stories about people who I would never had otherwise spoken to.

From bringing in your neighbour’s garbage bin to a simple smile and ‘hello’, doing something nice never felt so good, and you never know what you might get in return.

As His Holiness the Dalai Lama once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world”.

Give it a go and do something for someone.

#DoSomethingDay #GiveYour Best