The Gratitude Bench.

Where I live, it's very near a town centre with very busy roads, and there is a nice junction with a large grassed area and a lovely bench. Although

It wasn't so lovely when we first moved there.

Youths used to hang around drinking and smoking and were sometimes a nuisance to older people passing by.

Every morning, there were discarded bottles of vodka, fast food wrappers and general rubbish.

It got worse, and nobody ever cleared it up.

So I decided to do it. Armed with rubber gloves and several bin bags, I walked down one morning and cleared it all up. I had to bring the rubbish home, as there wasn't a bin for miles.

The following day, it was just as bad, so I cleaned it up again.

During my many visits, I got abuse hurled at me, people blowing their car horns at me and just general verbal assault.

Something interesting started to happen. Over time, the rubbish became less and less until one morning, there wasn't any. Also, the bench has started to be used by older people, dog walkers, and young families.

It stayed clean and tidy for months. After a long holiday in France, we returned to find the bench and its surroundings untidy again. It was late, so the next morning, I cleaned it up, and amazingly, it was tidy!

How amazing that I tidied up the bench area just by looking at it!

The council eventually placed a bin there for a short period. Due to the cost of emptying them, all our public bins here in Wakefield have been disposed of.

So here is what happens when you commit a kind act and show respect and gratitude for where you live.

My simple act created a different positive energy around the bench and its immediate surroundings.

Also, feelings of kindness and gratitude release chemicals that improve our mood, decrease our blood pressure and strengthen our immune systems.

What's even more amazing is that it will have the same effect on the person you are being kind to and anyone witnessing the act.

The area where the bench is is very busy, and there will be lots of motorists and pedestrians passing, all getting good vibes from yours truly!

Be kind and be grateful. You never know how far it will ripple out, and as I'm used to saying, be the reason someone smiles today.