Some believe there’s no greater risk in life than pursuing your passion. It’s authentic. It’s precious. It’s sexy, maybe, but most of all, it’s personal, so therefore, it’s meaningful. But what happens when you infuse humility, empathy, tenderness and kindness into the mix… passion turns to compassion, and the power of these two weaving together often manifests itself into something beautiful and sometimes memorable.

Recently, I stumbled upon such a tale. Toasted Life, a creative Bay Area lifestyle and event brand, in partnership with R.A.K.E. (Random Acts of Kindness Everywhere), a non-profit organization known for its viral exploits of doing good for the sake of goodness, jammed laughter, silliness and community together at a senior citizen and rehabilitation residence in San Francisco for a pop-up prom consisting of surprises, diabetic cookies and competitive bingo.

But why? As Ricky Smith, R.A.K.E. founder, suggested, there is indeed something powerful when a stranger, a person with absolutely no connections to another, steps outside their own comfort zone to make someone else’s hour or day a bit brighter with a smile — or an inflatable banjo in this case.