As average people who walk around in today’s society, we tend to place the concept of “giving back” in the same stereotype as charity. Many college students associate the label of charity with having to go out of their way to help some organization raise money for a cause or donating things. Those who live in wealthy countries, like America, tend to view charity as more of an effort because of their busy lifestyles. We have to make time to take part in charity.
   Many charities work for an admirable cause, and those who make time to take part in the charities efforts often find it rewarding. But does “giving back” really have to take so much time and effort? What about students who have school or people who work? How could they give back to their community?
   In a season where giving to others is associated with the very purpose of holiday celebrations, it is beneficial to take a step back and contemplate what charity requires. The answer can be unveiled by simply setting aside stereotypical labels. Setting “charity” aside, we now just have the concept of giving back. So what does that take? Author Leo Buscaglia sums up the answer nicely in one quote. He said, “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
   We’ve all heard someone say that giving someone a simple compliment could make his or her day. Statements such as these tend to be thought of as overused, given that we often pass around compliments as if they are nothing. Most people don’t believe that simple compliments about someone’s shirt could possibly make a difference. That person could have 10 more people say the same thing. If we already know the person we complimented, it could just be part of everyday conversation. And if it’s someone we don’t know, we might not think anything else about it after they smile and say thanks.
   What about actions? Everyone has heard the phrase “actions speak louder than words.” We ourselves have received a kindness from someone that made a difference in our day at some point. Maybe we walk into some coffee shop and are a few cents short of what we need. How often do we run into a person that says it’s OK? What is our reaction when we walk into a building, expect to pay, and get whatever we need to get through the day free of charge? The person who works in the coffee shop has probably already moved on to the next customer, but we are relieved because we know we won’t have to make it to lunch without some kind of boost. Sometimes the roles are reversed, and we are the ones doing someone a favor. Does something influence our willingness to help, or is it just human nature?
   It depends. Most people, however, will not remember their free cup of coffee while they help someone else days later. In most cases, we just help others because it is the “nice” thing to do. We often smile at others on reflex because we just happened to make eye contact. Sometimes we give compliments just to talk. And that element of “second nature” is almost always a good thing. It allows us to make a difference without meaning to. And the simple fact is we can’t make judgments on what it takes to make a difference in someone else’s life because we are not in anyone else’s head but our own. For all we know, that small smile we gave the person sitting in the corner could have been the only uplifting thing he or she experienced that day. The fact that something as simple as a smile has the potential to make a difference proves that it doesn’t always take being involved with a charity to give back to our surroundings.