By Donna Shea & Nadine Briggs
Today is World Kindness Day. It is also Red Sweater Day in honor of Mr. Rogers, one of the kindest and most genuine people to have existed in our world. I went out and found one just to be able to wear it today. To make a kindness statement – that I am a believer that kindness counts and manners matter.
It can easy to lose our kindness. There have been several things going on behind the scenes in my life that tear at that kindness. There are times when I hurt, am angry, and just want to hurt back. It doesn’t work though. It only increases the hurt and anger from all directions. Never has it ever decreased negative feelings or solved a problem. We can grow bitter and vengeful over what other people do to us, or we can choose to accept that the only thing we have control over is our own response to it. Sometimes we even have to accept the hurt. But when we do that, and we give kindness in return, there is a much better chance of eventually rectifying the situation.
Anger can be an easy road to follow. Kindness, in the face of hurtfulness, is a harder choice to make. But one that ultimately makes me feel better on the inside. And when we put kindness into the world, it is my belief that we receive kindness in return.
Be kind today, even if you don’t want to. It feels so much better.
