Spread the love like honey

I don't know what it was today. My friend Paula would probably say: "You must have showered in honey." That's her explanation for days that are the positive equivalent of a bad hair day- days when everyone seems to compliment you and you start to feel better and better. I had one of those today. The funniest thing about it is that it actually started as a bad hair day. My hair just wasn't looking right, but for some reason I still did not bother to wash it when I had my shower in the morning. Maybe I was in a rush, or maybe I just wanted to avoid having to blow-dry it, which I find a pain in the arse. Actually, I think I was half-asleep when I got into the shower and only noticed as I was getting dressed that my hair looked shit. So I put on a red beret, and then of course, seeing that I'm obsessed with colour-coordination, some other red accessories. After that, I was ready to rock my day.

I went into the city, got myself a big take-away coffee and hit my favourite fleamarket. I love fleamarkets so much that I would probably marry one if that was a viable option. I bought a few old tins (I know. I really don't need any more, but I can't help myself), a couple of necklaces, a leather bag, a book and two old picture frames. I had a long chat with one of the stallholders- an interesting old man who was Swiss but had grown up in India. When he heard that I was just starting out as a journalist, he told me that he knew I was going to be one of those brave journalists the world needs. And when I wanted to buy one of his books, he refused to take money for it, because he said it was such a pleasure to talk to me and he wanted to give me a present. So then I insisted to bring him a coffee, and he said, thank you, God bless you, although it was him who had started the being nice thing.

Next up, a woman with a big camera approached me and asked if she could take a couple of photos of me, because she loved my style, especially the red hat. I said, sure, go ahead, and gave her the biggest smile her camera had ever seen.

But that still wasn't enough of the good things. I had to go and see a concert at night to write an article about. It was fities' style rock n' roll, so the audience was a really mixed group of people of almost all ages. As I left the concert hall, a well-dressed guy, who was probably in his fifties, approached me and said: "Excuse me, can I pay you a compliment?" I said: "Sure, anytime." He looked at me and said: "You are a fascinating woman. Whatever it is you do, you will be very successful, I can tell. Have a wonderful evening." I smiled and said thank you. I was really shocked. But in a good way. The whole way home I had this big smile on my face. Who would have thought that bad hair days can turn out this good.

I'm a huge fan of random acts of kindness. They cost nothing, take almost no effort, yet make the world a better place. So in the name of world peace, dear boys and girls, I urge you, get amongst it. Speak up when you like something, smile, spread the love, be happy, don't hold back. I promise, it will make you feel good. And you might just turn someone's bad hair day into a honey day.