A Year Dedicated to Kindness

Kindness takes many forms, whether large or small. People can often get caught up in the belief that they cannot make a difference in the world because they lack the resources or means, but the truth is even the smallest act of kindness can make a world of a difference. No matter how insignificant it may seem to you at the time, your act of kindness, whether a warm smile, compassionate hug, gift, or donation, can lift others up when they are at their lowest. It can brighten their day and leave them feeling like they matter, that someone truly sees them. The last two years have been brutal for everyone, and everyone can benefit from a little extra kindness.

I often try to spread kindness whenever I can. I have donated a considerable amount of time and money to causes important to me. I give surprise gifts to the kids I babysit, friends, and family fairly frequently, oftentimes in the form of crystals. People often tell me I have the knack of giving the perfect gifts; last month I surprised my coworker with a birthday present, and he was blown away by my kindness, insisting that I hadn’t needed to give him anything at all. I gave each of the kids I work with a small holiday gift, too, to let them know that I was thinking of them and wishing them well. At the end of the day my giving isn’t to receive thanks but to share kindness and inspire happiness for the recipient.

When school resumed after winter break, I gave one of the before care kids a thank you card for his sweet gift; right before the break he had given me a Santa Jack Skellington mug and drew me a picture of Pikachu in a sweater. I was touched by his kindness and generosity and wanted to return the gesture. I could have selected one of the generic thank you cards; it would have gotten the message across just fine. I wanted to make it special and more meaningful for him, though. He absolutely adores Halloween and The Nightmare Before Christmas, causing his family to celebrate “Creepmas” rather than a traditional Christmas. With that in mind I decided to create a thank you card in the spirit of “Creepmas” featuring a Santa Jack Skellington. It felt absolutely perfect for him and his family.

The next time his mom saw me she was ecstatic—she gushed about how much she loved the thank you card I made for her son. She revealed that my card almost made her cry with how sweet and thoughtful it was. They received many, many Christmas cards throughout the holiday season, but she divulged that my card was their absolute favorite. They hung it up and adore it because I took the time to consider his interests and make it meaningful. She was so appreciative, and I could feel so much love emanating from them.

Kindness doesn’t have to be some grand gesture to be meaningful or make a difference. It doesn’t even need to be in the form of a physical gift. What matters is your intent: the intent to brighten others’ day and share happiness.

When I received the surprise gift from the boy and his family this past holiday season, I learned how great an impact I truly have. His mother thanked me in the holiday card for making every day special for all of the kids, expressing how much they look forward to seeing me each morning and how my kind words always make their day. While they thanked me for my kindness, I sincerely appreciated their kindness, as they really hadn’t needed to give me a present. I had always known that kids adore me, as they have always gravitated towards me and as families I babysit for always express how much their kids love me, but it’s always heartwarming to have confirmation, to hear the difference I make in the lives I touch.

2022 has a good start of sharing kindness on my part, and I intend to continue the trend. Considering that we reap what we sow, we’ll benefit from each and every act of kindness we extend to others. No act of kindness is too small to make a difference. Anyone and everyone will benefit from some extra kindness sent their way, so let’s make this year a genuinely kind year!