It all started with one tweet by NBC's Ann Curry following the horrific Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which left 20 children and 6 staff members dead, to jumpstart the #26Acts of kindness movement. The movement that's taking hold of the country calls for one act of kindness for each victim of the shooting.
On Sunday, Curry tweeted, "Imagine if all of us committed to 20 mitvahs/acts of kindness to honor each child lost in Newtown. I'm in. If you are RT #20Acts." What followed was a nationwide movement to promote kindness among complete strangers.
In a post for NBC, Curry described everyone's response to her proposal. "Not only did they commit to 20 acts of kindness, they wanted to up it to 26 acts of kindness for every child and adult who was lost at the school. Some even debated maybe we should include the mother, who died, at 27 acts."
People then began tweeting back at the journalist with their special #26acts of kindness. "Sent a care package to soldiers in Afghanistan and bought gifts for needy children today. Thank you @anncurry for #20Acts #26Acts," @RockiesBB57 tweeted. Another fan, @ChrisGrayMay, wrote "I was the 2nd person today to pay for the car behind them in the drive thru. Thanx @annurry, it's catching on! #20Acts #26Acts"
"I think that whenever you show by example an act of kindness - big or small - something that spends a lot of money, or because you don't have the money, something that doesn't, all of it is welcome," Curry later wrote.
She added, "I know the truth: if you do good, you feel good. It's the most selfish thing you can do. Right now, this country wants to heal. I think the only thing comforting in the face of a tragedy like this is to do something good with it if you can. Be a part of that wave."
Here are some other examples of people's #26Acts of kindness: