It was 2007. I was working a long shift at the box office of Painted Bride Art Center. It was the evening and I had been there all day. The lobby was really cold because artists and patrons had been coming in and out. I was a bit down for some reason, and being cold didn't really help that. I happened to be complaining to the technical director at the time about how I just wished I had a hot chocolate. Hot for my body and chocolate for my emotions. Around 30 minutes later a random man walked up to the box office with a red Starbucks cup. It said "Pass the Cheer" and it was filled with hot chocolate. I could have cried.
He was a patron coming to the show that night, had overheard my complaints and went and got me a hot chocolate. A simple act of kindness that meant a lot to me. That gesture brightened my whole day.
THAT is all that matters. Kindness. This is the season of giving, love and kindness. Red cup, black cup, plain cup, designed cup, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, none of that matters if we aren't treating each other with kindness.