“Kindness is contagious! Catch it now!” Do you remember in elementary school when you were playing with Legos and another kid wanted to play with you but you didn’t want to share? I think we all know too well the struggle of extending kindness to others now that we are a lot older. I was taught to share with others and to not be greedy. Being the oldest of six younger children, let’s just say I have my fair share of scars from my siblings due to my lack of sharing. I had to share everything ranging from toys to clothing and it did not stop there. Eventually, I had to share my knowledge of the world with my siblings as well as my favorite candy. As I grew older, I witnessed random acts of kindness which sparked my insatiable curiosity of discovering the true meaning of kindness and how it impacts our lives.
What is the meaning of kindness? How does kindness impact our day to day lives? And lastly, how do we as a society help inspire younger and older generations to spread kindness around amongst each other? The definition of kindness is, “The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.” Being kind to another individual is as simple as offering your seat to an elderly person standing on a bus or even asking how someone’s day is going. Too often than not, people underestimate the gift of kindness and disregard it without a second thought. Simple acts of kindness can change the course of an individual’s life without you even realizing it.
A few months ago, while I was checking (I work at my local Safeway helping at the register and aisles) I was having a pleasant conversation with one of my customers as she was leaving, she turned to me and gave me a twenty dollar bill. Puzzled, I told the woman that she already paid the tender with a debit card and she said, “This is for the next person in line. They might need it more than I do.” I stood there at my check stand, dumbfounded at this extremely, random act of kindness. The next person in line looked at me with shock and confusion as I told her that her groceries had been taken care of due to the generosity of the woman ahead of her. She teared up a bit and graciously thanked me for making her day so much better. Later that day, I found myself thinking about the generous woman and I smiled. Did that woman stop to think about the impact that she made on a random person’s life?
Kindness is a beautiful gift bestowed upon our world. We, as individuals need to stop doing things with the thought of receiving something in return. Kindness is unselfish and untainted. Who are we as individuals to give away one thing with the hope of seeking another worldly possession? Have we as humans evolved so much that we are unable to be kind to one another? Being kind to others isn’t difficult and should not be seen as weakness either. Go out into the world and spread the message of love and kindness. Donate old clothes to someone in need. Pick up the garbage on your way to work. Pay for the person’s drink behind you. Just go out there and change the world, one little step at a time. Being kind to others is a beautiful thing that we as a society need to recognize more.
