Kindness is a gift that we can give always. A little light and sunshine in the depths of darkness, a candle to guide the way.
I've always considered kindness an innate part of what it is to be human, but as I get older I can despair at the lack of kindness and tolerance in our world.
Kindness can take many forms - a smile, a hug, a thank you. It can be a compliment, it can just be saying hello. It can be making someone a cup of tea or just listening at the right time.
Kindness doesn't have to be just for friends, being kind to a stranger can change their day for the better. That simple act of smiling at them may change their actions and change their life.
Kindness can be in the form of rescuing a butterfly or a ladybird. It can be catching the spider in a glass and putting it outside rather than killing it. It could be pushing the stalk of a plant back into the verge to stop the cars clipping it.
Kindness can be feeding the birds, or stroking a dog, it can be watering a tired plant.
Kindness can sometimes just be biting your tongue and knowing when to say something and when to let it go.
What about being kind to you?
We can say such negative words to ourselves but what if you started thinking about the language you use? Would you say that to another person. So today be kind to yourself. Look in the mirror and love your laughter lines. Love your body, love your amazing mind and love your soul, your inner wise-woman.
Take time each day to do 1 thing for yourself to be kind to you.
Each day be kind to one person, pick 1 friend and pick 1 stranger. It doesn't have to be extravagant. Just a smile will do, or send a message, or even a post card just to say hi.
When the world around you isn't being kind, answer with kindness, when people are being aggressive, respond with kindness, when people are not being tolerant, respond with kindness.
I've seen this in the recent weeks - prejudices from people in the area I live. Whatever the local council does is wrong, who ever moves into an empty property will not be the right person, but each time I respond with kindness and slowly the rhetoric is changing, people are coming around to the idea that perhaps it will be ok.
Being kind costs nothing, it takes less energy than being angry, it makes you feel good too.
So be kind today for you and the world around you.