Principal Rex Whitcomb at Morningside Middle School in North Charleston, South Carolina told his students, “If you want to know how to have a successful school year, just be kind.” What great advice. Kindness is always in order.
After that, I wrote a little book, Random Acts of Kindness. In it I listed 110 simple acts of kindness that cost absolutely nothing to perform. Of course, the list can grow and grow. There are millions of people who are hungry for a simple act of kindness. All of us have many gifts to share that would brighten someone’s day.
November 13, is World Kindness Day. We can all participate by performing a simple act of kindness. Call a friend. Acknowledge a stranger. Write a thank you note. Thank a clerk. Leave a generous tip. I never tire of the advice attributed to John Wesley which I quoted in my book.
“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
Dr. Arthur Caliandro, the late pastor of Marble Collegiate Church in New York City said, “Be kinder than you think it necessary to be because the other person needs it more than you know.”
