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Challenge: Grinch challenge: Acts of Kindness

Kindness is Everywhere

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The world really isn’t as ugly as everyone thinks. I cringe when my eyes continuously read things like there is so much hate in the world, or how can we raise good kids in a world that is so ugly? People are so quick to categorize our world, our society, our people as failing and falling short and the question arises: What is happening to our world?

Sure, there are some heinous crimes, a rise in violence, and a political division in our country that all highlight the negative and evil in people. The problem is, however, that we are giving the negative so much space and power in our lives. We highlight it on social media, we talk about it during our beloved and fleeting time with our loved ones, we like the posts on social media, we click on the news links that outline in detail horrific acts from people who are spiritually and mentally very, very sick. We feed it. We entertain it. We become it.


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How about the cliched, but powerful message become the change you want to see in the world? Stop clicking on the propaganda on Facebook. Stop sharing the posts on Instagram. Stop with the goddamn selfies. Value and honor your time wisely and choose good. Seek good. You will find it because kindness is literally everywhere. You won’t notice it, however, if your eyes are closed.

So, please, open your eyes. Wake up in the morning and challenge yourself to find the kindness in the world. I guarantee you will find it. Today I found kindness at the hockey rink. My daughter needed a water bottle, so I went into the pro shop to purchase one for her just before the start of practice. It turns out, they don’t take American Express, but that was my only method of payment. The owner told me to take the water bottle and pay him next time. Simple. Kind. Appreciated.

Last week, I found kindness when my garbage man gave me a few reminder honks in the morning as he realized my trash can was still sitting in my garage. He honked and he waited as I hurried out in the morning and dragged my garbage can to the end of the driveway. Great kindness.

On Halloween, I found kindness at the end of my driveway as a local police officer pulled up in his cruiser, got out of the car, and hand delivered candy to my children. Thoughtful. Kind. Beautiful.

I found kindness in an email from my son’s teacher who took the time to write simply to tell me how well he is doing in 3rd grade. Thank you, teacher, for going the extra mile.

I found kindness on my front porch the other day when a friend left an unexpected, generous gift for me and my daughter to enjoy as a thank for something we had done. More Kindness.

I found kindness during our recent snowstorm as I was shoveling my long driveway. My back hurt after just a few minutes and my neighbor, without being asked, came over with his truck and plowed me out.

Kindness is everywhere. Seek and you shall find.

The more kindness I find, the more kindness I give. Kindness is contagious, so please, look for it every day and when you find it, share it freely. Be the change you want to see in the world, and the next time you see a social media post or news story that is highlighting all of the evil in the world, just keep scrolling. We can make this world a better place, one random act of kindness at a time.

Share your kindness stories with the hashtag #kindnessiseverywhere

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