Kindness is Alive and Well
For many of us, the world continues to be a scary place, filled with uncertainty and stressful circumstances. But last week as I traveled to the Midwest, I was gifted with the opportunity to look at my country and its culture a little differently. We of the Boomer generation take pleasure at times talking about younger generations with scorn, declaring they are self-centered and only care about what’s expedient for them. But here’s what I encountered out in the real world:
A young airport worker, who took my paperwork, entered it in the kiosk for me to check my bag personally when he could have just pointed me in the right direction.
Young military men and women solemnly escorting a grieving family whose fallen loved one was making the long trip home.
A young girl who offered me her neck pillow to make my middle seat just a bit more comfortable and then shared a little about her life with me.
Kindness is not dead; young people know it matters. At a time when our world encourages us to hang our heads or hold them and wonder when things will get better, every encounter I had with young people gave me hope.
Kindness is not dead; our culture still knows it’s important. This holiday season I learned that giving is as simple as showing respect to one another at a dark hour or offering a soft pillow to someone who needs it. This land of ours is filled with servant leaders; they just don’t know it yet. So, let’s give the gift of optimism to each other as we begin 2017. Happy New Year!
Director of Content and Curriculum