Good Deeds Day is based on a simple idea that every person can do

The words of Shari Arison are like a gentle flame that kindles both heart and conscience: “Good Deeds Day is based on a simple idea that every person can do a good deed for the benefit of others and the planet. Even a smile that brightens someone else’s day is a good deed. I initiated Good Deeds Day to spread the message that everyone can give of themselves, according to their heart’s desire.” At their root, these words remind us of the ancient wisdom that greatness is not always found in the mighty acts of kings or the monuments of empires, but in the daily offerings of kindness that sustain the fabric of human life.

The essence of this teaching lies in its simplicity. A good deed does not need to be grand; it may be as small as a smile, as quiet as listening to another’s sorrow, as humble as planting a tree or offering bread to the hungry. In the ancient traditions, such acts were considered sacred sacrifices, gifts not to gods alone but to the spirit of community itself. To Arison, the call is universal: each person, no matter their wealth or status, can shape the world through compassion. In this way, Good Deeds Day is less an event than a reminder of humanity’s eternal duty—to serve both others and the earth.

The origin of this idea is older than any single movement. In Jewish tradition, the concept of tikkun olam—to repair the world—teaches that every act of kindness helps mend the brokenness of creation. In Christianity, the parable of the Good Samaritan shows that the smallest act of mercy surpasses empty ritual. Across cultures, whether in the Confucian teaching of benevolence or the Buddhist path of compassion, the message is the same: to live well is to serve others. Arison’s words are but a modern echo of these ancient truths, given shape in the form of a global day of action.

History provides shining examples of this principle. Think of Mother Teresa, who began not with vast institutions but with small acts—washing the wounds of one dying person, offering a smile to one abandoned soul. Over time, her deeds multiplied into a movement that inspired millions. She proved that the smallest act, when done with sincerity, can change not only an individual’s life but the heart of the world. Similarly, Arison’s Good Deeds Day seeks to awaken that same spirit across nations, reminding us that collective kindness begins with individual choice.

The power of a smile cannot be underestimated. Even in the harshest of times, a single gesture of warmth can pierce despair. During the Second World War, it was said that the prisoners who survived the longest in camps were often those who found ways to exchange kindness, whether by sharing food, telling a joke, or offering a faint smile to strengthen another’s spirit. Such moments of humanity kept alive the flame of hope when the world sought to extinguish it. Thus Arison is right to call even a smile a good deed, for it is both a gift and a reminder of shared dignity.

The lesson for us is clear: every person holds within themselves the power to uplift, to heal, and to restore. Do not wait for wealth or position to practice goodness; do not wait for perfect conditions to serve. Begin with the small—the smile, the kind word, the helping hand. From these humble seeds, great forests of change may grow. To give of oneself according to one’s heart’s desire is to fulfill the highest purpose of being human.

Therefore, let us practice this wisdom in our daily lives. Take part in Good Deeds Day, not as a single ritual, but as a rhythm of living. Seek out opportunities to give, to serve, to heal. Let kindness not be an exception but a habit. In doing so, you will discover what sages and saints of old proclaimed: that the act of giving enriches the giver, that the hand that lifts another also lifts itself, and that in brightening another’s day, you will find your own smile renewed.

Thus, the words of Shari Arison live as a call to action and a torch for generations. They remind us that true greatness lies not in power or possession but in the good deeds we offer freely, out of love for others and reverence for the planet. Let this teaching be carried forward, that every day may become a Good Deeds Day, and every life may shine as a testament to compassion.