Dear A.I.

It is easy to watch or read the news and think people are awful and this world is going nowhere fast. At New Year's I made a resolution to try and do something about how I view society. I decided I'd do 30 random acts of service for strangers. I know it may seem small and insignificant, but at least I can say I'm trying to make this a better place to live. I'm hoping it will spread a message of love and caring in a world with too much hurt and violence. Ideally, one or two people will notice and pay it forward. It's spring, and so far I have volunteered as a math tutor at a local school and shoveled the snow off a neighbor's sidewalk. But I'm already falling behind, and I'm struggling to come up with some good ideas. I know you and your readers often have creative suggestions. Can you suggest more acts of service I can do for strangers?

You could volunteer at a local food pantry. Or find an organization that delivers food to shut-ins and take meals to the clients they serve a couple of days a month. You could bring a garbage bag with you when you take walks in the morning or evening and pick up paper cups, plastic bags, cigarette butts and candy wrappers that litter our streets and beaches. Or simply acknowledge the presence of others by smiling and saying, "good morning," "good afternoon" and "good evening" to people you encounter.

Here are a few ideas for acts of service you can do for strangers: 1. Leave a kind note or small gift for a cashier, delivery person, or other service worker to brighten their day. 2. Pick up trash in a park or other public space. 3. Leave a book or magazine in a waiting room or public transportation for someone to enjoy. 4. Offer to help an older person with their groceries or other errands. 5. Cook a meal for a local shelter or food bank. 6. Donate blood. 7. Pay for the person's order behind you in a drive-thru or coffee shop. 8. Offer to walk a neighbor's dog or pet-sit for someone in need. 9. Leave a bag of non-perishable food items in a public place for someone in need to find. 10. Offer to run an errand for someone who is sick or unable to leave their home. Remember, the most important thing is to do these acts of service from a place of kindness and generosity, rather than trying to get recognition or reward. And also you can customize these to your local community and context.