One of my most popular art prints is the one that contains this verse from Proverbs 31:26:
“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”
I love this verse, especially that “kindness” is part of this passage. I think the older and wiser you are, the kinder you should be.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve seen the benefits of true kindness when you don’t expect anything back. When I was younger and just trying to rise above my past emotional and economic circumstances, I didn’t think as much about kindness. I tried to be “nice” to people, but that’s not the same thing.
Now, I talk and think about kindness a lot. I write about it in articles and practice it as much as I can. I also try to actively seek out stories about kindness. I’ve written in the past that “kindness is a fluid feeling combined with a positive act.” Kindness isn’t passive.
And I don’t know about you, but I feel like having a good life can sometimes make you forget about going out of your way to show kindness to someone else. I have to remind myself all the time.
The news sometimes thrives on the negativity. It’s a harsh world, and there’s a lot of bad things going on, and I get that they need to report it. That just means we have to work that much harder to seek out the stories that are filled with inspiration. Because they exist!
Here’s some I’ve linked to in the past:
- Kindness Shown Again and Again After the Boston Marathon Tragedy
- A Stranger Who Paid for Someone’s Wedding
- Random Acts of Kindness Stories
- 24 Touching Kindness Stories
- Good News Kindness Stories
- Kindness Stories That Will Make You Cry
I feel that the more I surround myself with stories of all the great things that other people are doing in this world, the more it will inspire me to keep showing kindness to others. I truly believe that’s what we’re here for.
