“Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need? Have I cheered up the sad or made someone feel glad? If not, I have failed indeed.” These are the words from a hymn entitled, “Have I Done Any Good in the World Today.”
You’ll find this hymn inside a chapel within the walls of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
To me, this song is all about kindness. And kindness is definitely an action. Every day you can create kindness for someone or be the recipient of an act of kindness. If you think I’m saying the word kindness a lot—you’re right! But that’s what this article is all about!
On www.kindness.org, a non-profit organization, has a mission “to educate and inspire people to choose kindness.” They feel kindness is the catalyst in solving the world’s biggest challenges. They believe a kinder world is possible and they are there to help make it happen.
Everyone can be kind. I’ll never forget when my daughter, 9 years old at the time, became sick and wasn’t attending school for over 2 months. Her third-grade teacher, Mrs. Hurst, rode her motorcycle out to our house to hand deliver a booklet made by the class with notes, pictures, and thoughtful words about how much they missed seeing Julia at school.
Receiving this booklet, in person, from a special teacher made a huge impact on the life of my daughter and our family. It was a tender moment. Knowing Julia’s 3rd grade class took the time to write to her, and that her teacher would bring it directly to us—complete with a hug and a chance to sit on her motorcycle—made a lasting impression. This experience brought smiles for days!
Kindness has many meanings: friendly, generous, considerate, gentle, warmth, concerned, courageous, and strong—among many others. Kindness is an interpersonal skill.
From an article on www.psychologytoday.com called, “The Importance of Kindness,” we read that, “There are many ways to practice kindness. One way to be kind is to open your eyes and be active when you see people in need…opening your eyes means noticing when others are suffering…Kindness is a willingness to full-heartedly celebrate someone else’s successes.”
Kindness also includes being kind to yourself. Remember to value yourself daily because you matter. And kindness matters.
Brooke Romney, a popular writer for the Deseret News, shared a powerful article titled, “Catching Stones vs. Casting Stones.” Romney refers to the book, Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson. In this book, Stevenson asks his readers to become “Stone Catchers” ---people who stop the hate, the judgement, and the unkindness and who defend those who cannot defend themselves.
In her article, Romney recounts a time when she experienced a stone catcher in the aisles of Target. “I was trying to reason with my unreasonable 2-year old while I held a screaming baby. Just before I lost it all, a woman said to me, “I love how you speak so kindly to your children even when they are giving you a hard time. You are a wonderful mother.” In that moment, I was saved by a stone catcher.”
Think of kindness as a “Stone Catcher.” You can be a stone catcher, too. Look for opportunities everywhere you go.
At Bates Elementary School, the students and teachers recently celebrated “Kindness Week.” Throughout the school, posters were displayed with colorful quotes and sayings about kindness such as, “When There’s a Choice Between Being Right and Being Kind, Choose Kind!” and “In A World Where You Can Be Anything, Be Kind.”
Because kindness matters.
