Why Kindness Matters

Why Kindness Matters

In a world that is becoming crueler each and every day, it is wise to know that kindness should still be treated as an important value in society. Often times we forget what it means to be kind and how it affects others both in and out of our lives. Either we get so busy with our own lives or we simply are having a bad day that we tend to forget how important it is to show acts of kindness as it sets a standard for not only ourselves but for future generations.

I cannot stress enough why we should be teaching children and today’s youth how imperative it is to be kind. Through the decades, bullying has increasingly become an issue in educational environments.  Additionally, bullying is affecting children and teenagers outside of schools, due to advancements in technology via social media. Because of this, children and teens suffer from depression, peer pressure and other negative results caused from bullying, such as eating disorders, poor grades, bodily harm, lack of self-confidence etc.

By teaching children at an early age that kindness is a positive alternative to bullying, we are teaching the future what it means to respect and support one another. Through kindness, we can build up the confidence of children to help them understand they can achieve any goal or dream they set their sights on for their lives.

But how can we do that? It’s simple. We can teach the youth of today about being kind by having them engage in acts of kindness or even being a positive example for them by showing them how we, as adults can spread kindness ourselves. There are various ways we all can show kindness to others, including volunteering at soup kitchens and homeless shelters where we can help others less fortunate than them. Even donating gently used clothing and non-perishable foods is a positive way of giving back to their communities.

Additionally, we can show acts of kindness through even the most ordinary ways such as complimenting someone, offering to help an elderly man or woman carry their groceries to their car or even opening a door for someone who has difficulties walking. I personally remember an act of kindness I showed to another when I was at the grocery store. Before I could walk into the store, I started heading past the Outdoor Care Department where all the potted plants on sale were located. A woman drove up to me in her car and asked me if she gave me the money if I could go into the department and buy her a flower pot she wanted. She had told me she normally would go and get it herself but her puppy was in the car with her and she didn’t want to leave her puppy alone in the car by itself on such a hot summer day.

I agreed to help out the woman and made sure she got exactly the flower pot she wanted before taking care of my own needs at the grocery store that day. She offered me money for doing the favor but I turned it down, telling her it was no trouble at all and that having had a dog, I completely understood why she wouldn’t want to leave hers all alone in a hot car. That little act of kindness was the brightest moment of my day and left me feeling happier, knowing I had helped someone out even in possibly the smallest of ways. I can only hope it helped make her day better as well as it is times like those where we are reminded that even in the midst of all the crazy, busy things going on in the world that goodness and kindness can not only still be found but that we have the ability to share kindness to others every day, if we only just look for those opportunities.