Kindness makes us all feel better

Here in BC, in the early days of the pandemic, Dr. Bonny Henry ended each of her daily COVID-19 updates with the words “Be kind, be calm, be safe.” I don’t know about you, but I found it soothing. We all desperately needed kindness (plus calm and safety!) to cope with life’s bizarre turn. Twenty challenging months later, it’s even more important to ramp up the kindness to one another.

Mr. Fluffster and I, setting out for a long walk in downtown Vancouver on November 13, were stopped by a woman who asked if she could interrupt our conversation. We said “Yes, of course,” thinking she wanted directions. Instead, much to our surprise, she said, “I just wanted to say that you two make such a nice couple.”

Mr. Fluffster told her, “Nobody has ever paid us that compliment before!” Then we wished her the best of all possible days and went on our way.

I discovered later that November 13 is World Kindness Day. Was that her motivation? I’d prefer to think that she truly believed we are a nice couple.

I was tickled pink. She contributed meaningfully to our happiness and perhaps that of someone else who might benefit from our paying it forward.

When many people, understandably stressed not just by the pandemic but also by weather disasters and the state of the world, act negatively towards others, it’s a breath of fresh air to hear something pleasant out of nowhere.

Right now, we all need to take comfort from simple things. The sun was shining when we went out for a walk yesterday, and I noticed that many of the people we passed along the trail were smiling and inclined to say hello or nod in a friendly way (whether they knew us or not). I don’t know about them, but I was smiling because of the sunshine. Retaining that feeling and goodwill towards others through the cold winter to come will require effort.

Just think. If we all resolved to say one nice thing to someone (anyone, not necessarily a stranger) once a week, imagine the cumulative effect that could have. Wouldn’t our world become a better place?

Let’s start a movement. One kindness hour every week.

I feel better already.