World Day of Kindness: be kind, always!
Born in 1998, the World Kindness Day is a very successful event, both for the activities that are organized in big cities and at school and for the resonance it has on the web and on social networks. One might wonder why a World Day for Kindness has been devised, given that many consider it to be an "obvious" act. In reality, on November 13 of each year we want to celebrate all those kind actions that are often neglected, but which, instead, give a lot of joy both to those who receive them and to those who do them. We must not forget, however, that kindness is an "art to always be implemented, without exclusions.
World day of kindness: its story
The history of the World Kindness Day began in 1988, when the Japan Small Kindness Movement, or the Japanese movement for Kindness. Starting from this first local nucleus, the idea of promoting kindness spread worldwide, to arrive in 1996 World Kindness Movement. Obviously, each country has then created its own national organization that deals with the issue. In Italy, the headquarters of the movement was born in 2000 in Parma. Its slogan derives from a song by Claudio Baglioni, that is Kindness is revolutionary.
All over the world, since 1998, the World Day of Kindness is celebrated every 13 November, which sees various events, both organized in big cities and on social networks. From testimonies of good deeds towards someone to solidarity collections for less fortunate people, the World Kindness Day it is the occasion to remind ourselves that to be kind it takes very little and, above all, it is good for the heart and soul.
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What is kindness?
Did we really need a day, a worldwide event to celebrate kindness? It might surprise you, but the answer is yes. By kindness, we mean that form of courtesy and good education that makes us interact in a positive and disinterested way towards others. Being kind includes a series of attitudes and behaviors that are often taken for granted, but which, instead , are of fundamental importance for a peaceful and harmonious life among people, both adults and children. Kindness recalls altruism, generosity, respect, the ability to forgive, being patient and friends without a double purpose.
Anyone who experiences a kind attitude knows that it does not only have positive effects on others. Practicing kindness, in fact, also benefits those who use it personally. People who are kind are, in general, more optimistic about life, more likely to open up to others and feel good about themselves.
5 kind gestures to do every day
The World Kindness Day it should be understood as the feast of kindness and not as the only day of the year to put it into practice. The kind gestures to make every day are different and some can vary according to age - such as, for example, not arguing with another driver over a parking space -, while others are "universal" and we start making them our own as children.
1. Always greet and thank
"Permission, thank you, sorry, here are the words of coexistence, if you use the family it goes on."
Pope francesco
It may seem obvious, but greeting when you meet someone you know or as soon as you enter a club or shop is one of the most important kind gestures. Smiling while you are saying goodbye amplifies the effect even more.
The same goes for thanksgiving. Thanking is one of the most appreciated forms of courtesy. Not only is it part of good manners, but it makes the person you interact with feel gratified for what they have done.
Saying goodbye, thanking and even asking for permission or forgiveness, are typical acts of kindness to be done both with those you know and with strangers.
2. Listen to others
Everyone always has something to tell. Whether it is a particular episode of that day or an anecdote that occurred some time ago, listening to a person when they speak, without interrupting or doing other activities in the meantime - such as checking the phone, is another pivotal gesture of being kind. In fact, kindness it involves listening sincerely and disinterestedly, that is, one that does not necessarily seek a verbal exchange.Moreover, having someone to talk to is a precious help for any human being.
3. Try to give advice
After listening carefully to someone, we can try to give advice. We must always try to do it in the most delicate and respectful way possible, especially when it comes to complicated topics or situations. The important thing is not to impose one's point of view directly, but to try to demonstrate the reasoning and why, perhaps, you do not share the choices that person has made. The whole conversation should be held in calm and gentle tones.
4. Don't judge without knowing
It can happen that we tend to judge a person only by appearance or by first impression. Both can easily lead us to error. Having an opinion of someone requires time and several meetings to get to know who we are in front of from different perspectives and also in different environments. If you judge a person immediately, you risk basing your reputation only on our perceptions, often wrong.
5. Trying to fulfill the wishes of loved ones
One of the rules for living well and happy is to constantly try to fulfill the wishes, even the smallest ones, of the people we really care about. They don't have to be striking gestures, but simple actions that we know to please them. Fulfilling someone's wish means having listened to him saying he would like to do or would like to have a certain thing.
A surprise is always good for the heart just like kindness. For this we must remember every day, not just November 13, to treat people kindly, respecting them and showing our support at various times of the day.
"Treat people with kindness".
