“Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.” Og Mandino
When I was 8, I took notice of a little girl my age and her sister on the playground. I noticed them because the look on their faces was melancholy. I had never seen two girls so sad in my young life. Some of the other children were making fun of them because they were unwashed and had knots in their hair.
I realized that I had a deep sense of justice in me at that point because the kids jeering made me angry and sad for the girls. I knew I was committing social suicide in a sense by befriending the girls, but at this point, I didn’t care.
I could see that these girls must be living a challenging life and there must have been more to the story. I was surprised to learn that she lived in my neighborhood. My Sister and I walked home with them. The girls took us to their dilapidated house. There was no front door which immediately worried me. There was only a tapestry in place of the door. I asked her if they got cold or felt afraid at night that someone would come in the house. The oldest girl merely laughed.
My family and I spent the next two years helping the girls and feeding them when we could. The point to this thought isn’t to toot our horn it is merely a friendly reminder that kindness has power in this world. I have noticed that the mannerism of kindness has somewhat faded in our society. On social media, people argue among themselves about politics, their personal views, and other views.
Some conversations I have seen have been almost violent in manner. These are quotes from studies at Dartmouth University on the effect of kindness on the brain…”According to research from Emory University, when you are kind to another person, your brain’s pleasure and reward centers light up, as if you were the recipient of the good deed—not the giver. This phenomenon is called the “helper’s high.” It goes on…Engaging in kindness releases endorphins the body’s natural pain killer. Kindness aids in lower blood pressure, anxiety, and much more.”
That is only one side of the effects of kindness. Think of the delight the recipient feels. No doubt after your act of kindness that feeling stays with them for some time and gives them a little more faith in humanity. You can illustrate it this way: After you eat an excellent, well-rounded meal, you feel full and satisfied. The same feeling can be experienced by showing a random person a little kindness.
Speaking of kindness thank you to all who took the time to read my thoughts at Thoughticle by Bree Renne as always farewell my friends and feel free to like, share, or comment your thoughts below! I love to hear from you all!!!
Link to the study a fore mentionedhttps://www.dartmouth.edu/wellness/emotional/rakhealthfacts.pdf
ThoughticalWBreeRenne 
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