We all notice the big acts of kindness that we give and receive, but perhaps the most important ones are the small, unnoticed ones.

Sometimes my days have lots of them in. I may reach something down from the supermarket shelf for someone shorter than me. Someone tells me to go ahead of them in the checkout queue because I only have a few items. A door is held open for me. A bus driver waits for me to reach the bus stop. Someone moves along so that I can sit by them on the bench. I take some of my fresh tomatoes from the garden to my neighbour. The list could go on and on.

I do notice them for two reasons. Firstly, they make my day that little bit brighter – they always have a positive impact, whether they are a giving or a receiving.

Secondly, they come from an automatic place. They are not a deliberate, thought through reaction, intended to prompt a thank you, or appreciation. They are just one human being reacting to another from a caring place. And this makes me optimistic about us as human beings.

We all notice if someone is rude, or pushes past us, or is behaving badly. We also need to notice those small unrecognised acts of kindness – they happen far more often.