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It’s easy to extend kindness all year

Our Opinion

Many of you have probably heard of the old adage, “You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” That is to say, you’re more apt to get what you want with sweetness (kindness) rather than acidity.

This was one of the first rules of life that many children were taught by their parents or by a teacher. The lesson to be kind is one we all could stand to exercise more. It’s simple really — life is just easier if you put a smile on your face instead of a scowl when approaching the world. Being nice to nice people is great, but being nice to those who are not nice to you is how the world becomes better. We should not want to defeat or humiliate those we don’t agree with but to win their friendship and understanding.

The ‘kindness every day’ lesson is perfect for the holiday season, and throughout the year for children and adults alike. It costs nothing to be kind and takes little effort to smile, hold the door for someone exiting a store with their hands full or brush off the snow of the vehicle next to yours while you’re doing your own outside work, the grocery store or Post Office.

Kindness begets kindness. Kindness can also be courageous. If you are kind to someone, it affects them and causes them to want to do the same.

Think about the last time you were kind and good to someone and how it made you feel about yourself. Opportunities exist every minute of every day to extend kindness to others. If we made a more conscious effort to be a kinder, better person, by practicing kindness regularly, our lives would become more extraordinary.

Practicing acts of kindness while expecting nothing in return except the good feelings that these acts provide is life-giving. What better thing in life can there be than to be remembered or thought of as a kind, caring and loving person.