My friend Jen Slepicka has perfected the art of random kindness.

I remember sitting in a cafe with her last fall, idly listening to the older ladies at the table next to us gossip as our own gossip session was winding down. Jen had bought a few decorated, dipped pretzel sticks, wrapped to go, and I was finishing my ba-jillian-th cup of coffee when we overheard one of the women wish the other a happy birthday.

As we got up to leave, Jen handed the pretzels to the lady who officially was one year older that day. She simply said, “happy birthday,” and made her exit. Effortless. Unplanned. Truly a random act of kindness.