Time for those New Years Resolutions. Mine is to be more regular on my reporting of kindness here with the Kindness Blog. Yours could be to share at least one incidence of kindness you experienced on this blog …. or to just be kind in general.
In the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy I see lots of movements for 26 acts of kindness. While every act of kindness is a welcomed act, such movements begs the question of “Why stop at 26?” In reality the type of kindness that is our calling as a species with empathy is not one for keeping score. Someone you know experiences difficulty, you feel that difficulty, you act on your feelings with kindness. That’s just an ongoing humane process, not something for keeping score.
What 26 acts of kindness accomplishes best, or any number of acts for that matter, is to get people into the habit. They start with the conscious goal and that transcends into the ongoing subconscious routine. It’s like the retired coal-miner I met when I first hiked the Appalachian Trail. He had black lung and resolved to hike the Appalachian Trail before he died. When I met him he was near Katahdin, almost finished. I asked him what he would do once he did finish. After reflecting a minute he responded: “Keep on hikin’ I s’pose.”
So should it be with these acts of kindness movements or New Years Resolutions. Set a target for kindness if that’s what motivates you, but once you near your target just keep on goin’.
May you benefit from many acts of kindness in 2013 just as you benefit others.
