Kindness

Kindness.

One word with a whole lot of meaning. If you look it up on the internet it says, ' the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. ' But I believe it to be much, much more than that. 

Let's put it this way. The world is like a quilt, a patchwork of moving people that are of different color, size, and pattern. Kindness is the stitch that can hold us all together. No matter what race, religion, or group, we can all use kindness in some way to make a difference.

Kindness has its gifts. The way it spreads like the ripples in a pond. The ability to lift someone up when they are at rock bottom. There is power, unmeasurable power, in one simple act of kindness.

Let's take this even further.

The best friend you know well enough? She might actually be suffering from abuse. Your cousin who stopped talking to you? He could be on drugs and is just afraid to talk about it. Your older sibling who suddenly became rude and argumentative? Her boyfriend might have broken up with her for no good reason.

"We hide pain in the weirdest places, broken souls with smiling faces, fighting for surrender, for now and the after, yeah..."

The person you think is alright today could be planning to commit suicide tomorrow.

And our quilt, beautifully and wonderfully crafted, might begin to tear. In a blink of an eye, patches of amazing color fall away.

"Just look around and you'll see that people are scared to say how they really feel- oh, we all need a little honesty..." 

We could prevent this. A single act of kindness could save a life. 

There are many battles raging on this earth. Battles between nations, and battles between good and evil. But there is also a battle between blessings and curses. We could bless people with our words. We could uplift others with our actions. Together, we can be unified. Each person reading this can touch hands with different people around the world without even realizing. We all can make a difference. Our words and actions can change our city, our country, and maybe even the world.

Wake up. This doesn't just happen in stories- it's all around us.

For every life saved, kindness gains a victory. For every tear prevented, for every outstretched hand, for every loving heart, kindness wins. It spreads, like the ripple across a lake that might one day become a wave spreading across the far reaches of the ocean.

Kindness can prevail. It's just up to us whether or not we want it to. Every word counts, every act matters. Even if you don't think someone will be affected by what you say, there is a chance they're holding to your every word.

Thanks to you, kindness can prevail.

So make a difference. Lift a heart. Save a life.

It only takes a simple act of kindness.

Lyrics are from the song "You are loved."