Practice Random Acts of Kindness

November 8-14 is World Kindness Week.  The phrase, “practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty” may have been coined by a peace activist in the early 80’s but whoever and whenever, it’s a great sentiment.

It’s appropriate that our Veterans’ Day falls within this week. Since the founding of our country, the members of our armed services have fought not only abroad but on our own soil to preserve our independence and way of life. I love living where and how I do and for that, I thank them and their families. Their sacrifice is one of the greatest acts of kindness toward a stranger there is.

There’s a song, the one I remember was recorded by Glen Campbell (I believe other artists have covered it), with the refrain:

You’ve gotta try a little kindness, show a little kindness,
Just shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness, then you’ll overlook the blindness
Of narrow-minded people, on their narrow-minded streets

If everyone (and I do mean worldwide) would practice random acts of kindness I’d be willing to wager that troops all over the world would be back at home with their families instead of somewhere else, possibly shooting and being shot at.

For my part, I’ll light two candles – one for peace (worldwide) and one for protection (for our troops). If the energy I send out touches just one person maybe it’ll have a ripple effect and spread from there.