KindnessRevealed

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary kind is defined as follows:

Kind: adjective        

1: Affectionate, Loving

2: of a sympathetic or helpful nature

While this definition is certainly true, I think we can do a better job of defining what kindness looks like. 

You can look at kindness simply as having good manners. You say please and thank you. You hold the door open for the next person walking in the door of the Quickie Mart. You give up your seat on the train for a woman holding a small child. You let a young man go ahead of you in the grocery line because he only has a few things when your cart is full.

These are things we do every day. They may seem insignificant to you, but to the person you are kind to, that small act of good manners makes an impression. In turn, they might practice good manners on the next person they encounter.

You can think of kindness as giving money when it's most needed. A lot of us hear about opportunities to give and by nature rush to help as much as we can. A tornado sweeps through a small town and the next thing you know hundreds of volunteers are there to help with the clean-up. A disaster happens such as the earthquakes in Haiti and Japan, or Hurricane Katrina and people jam the phone lines to give donations. Wealthy individuals and families set up trust funds and sponsor scholarships. An anonymous donor goes to her local Wal Mart and pays off the layaways for several families at Christmas.

We've all heard these stories. We see them on the news or hear about them in our churches. Giving money to help those in need can be one of the kindest things we can do. On the flip side receiving the gifts of money or financial help can be one of the most difficult things for people to accept. Pride will get in the way of acceptance. Fear of not being able to repay the kindness will hold them back from taking the help that is generously offered. A lot of us know these feelings first hand and it is only desperation that lets us take that helping hand.

Kindness can also be seen when people do more than is necessary to help another. They act in a way that is totally natural to them. It's going over and above the choice they could make and not thinking twice about doing it. This is the bus driver who knows a couple kids on his route never get breakfast at home. When those children get on the bus, he hands them a granola bar so at least they have something to eat before they start the school day. It's the woman who continues to visit the nursing home each week even though her mother has already passed away and is no longer a resident there. She has built relationships with the staff and other patients, and brings them flowers or reads to them to make them feel appreciated and loved.

All of these are stories of true kindness. These are the stories you will see here. We see so much negativity all around us. Just watch ten minutes of the news, or pick up a newspaper. It's just all bad isn't it? And yet, when I look around at the grocery store I see these little acts of kindness all the time. When we go to a community event like the local high school football game I hear people cheering for their neighbor's kids, see someone move down the row so a family can sit together, watch as the man that's always there taking pictures give his email information out so those parents can get in touch with him for the photos.

There is kindness all around us, but a lot of times we really have to be looking for it to see it happening. Sometimes we're taught to be humble and not to brag about the good deeds we do for others. I'm this way too. But it's also important to talk about the kind things we do for others.There has to be a way to discuss it without sounding "braggy".

We need to shine a light on kindness no matter how we see or do it. We need it to be brought into the light so it will spread even more.

This project has been on my heart for almost a year. I've thought about, done some planning, put it on the back burner, even almost reached a point of not doing it at all. But there is a voice I hear that keeps calling me back to it. I'll read a blog post or hear one of my neighbors talk about the nice thing that was done for them and it all comes rushing back to me. "You need to do this," my inner voice says, "Just start."

So here I am. Starting.  In the next weeks and months I'll be sharing stories of kindness I've heard. The way I'll be sharing though is important. I'm going to write the stories as fiction. I will make up names and locations but the situations will have the elements of truth in them.  I'll be embellishing the stories in places and taking out details when necessary. The purpose of this is not to embarrass or shame the givers or receivers of these kindnesses. We want to highlight kindness itself.

This project will only bear fruit with your help. We need to hear from you. If you have been on the receiving end of kindness please share it with me. You can go into as much or as little detail as you're comfortable with and be assured those details will remain confidential. I'll create a fictional story around what you tell with me and post it here.  The same thing applies if you have been on the giving end of kindness.

I need you to help make this work. 

Send me an email at: RevealingKindness@gmail.com  Lets break our hearts wide open and highlight the good and kindness all around us.