Kindness is a human touch, a gentle understanding smile, an acknowledgment, a service, helping someone crossing the road, an encouragement. Kindness is possible in every moment of our daily lives giving respect, dignity, love and understanding to anyone.
Kindness is an unselfish act of giving between human beings. Animals, too, like humans, need affection, respect and a helping hand.
President George H.W. Bush was ridiculed for his “kinder and gentler nation” speech on Aug. 18, 1988 — but he was right. He credited his wife, Barbara, for helping children to read. He asked for a thousand points of light for us to volunteer and be kind to others, such as government officials being more helpful when providing services.
Being kind and caring can be good listening, whether at home or at work for a person to express a hurt, a misunderstanding or just a human connection to solve an issue.
Mother Theresa helped others by providing food, medical attention and love.
Nurses, teachers, police officers and many others need to be acknowledged for their kindness.
Seniors can be so isolated — so a pat, a hug, a touch, a phone call or a smile can lift their spirits and help them along.
I remember a time at age 8, in 1961 Singapore, when my bicycle tires were punctured. I was struggling against strong winds and pelting rain, four miles to get home from school, when a car stopped. It was a young school teacher, who stopped and extended me the kindness of help.
Years later I did the same by picking up a young mother with three young children drenched at an unsheltered bus stop. I drove them home, and donated a car to her.
Later, I started a used car business providing cheap cars to people, especially single moms with children, sometimes even giving them cars.
Then there was my second-grade teacher, who quietly loaned me second-hand books for class because I was too embarrassed to tell him my parents were short of funds. For years after, my dad would make a very special Chinese New Year cake with fancy icing, candy pearls and flowers, which I would deliver to my teacher’s home, catching two buses and climbing 10 floors.
And yet another incident, where an immigrant single mom was scolding and hitting her boy of 12. I took the mother aside and asked her to listen to what her son had to say.
A few months later, the boy came and reported that he understood how hard his mom worked to pay for his piano lessons. She had such hopes for the boy!
Today, it seems, we all need to be more “kinder and gentler” since our nation’s last election. Our president must be kinder in words and deeds.
Today, we are stressed because of the economy, the housing shortage and the high cost of living.
Landlords could charge less. We can help by giving to the food bank, donate blood and volunteer. We can all give hugs, smiles and love and by treating each other with aloha, respect and equality.
