Kindness
When you carry out acts of kindness you get a wonderful feeling inside. It is as though something inside your body responds and says, yes, this is how I ought to feel. - Harold Kushner
When kindness has left people, even for a few moments, we become afraid of them as if their reason had left them. When it has left a place where we have always found it, it is like a shipwreck; we drop from security into something malevolent and bottomless. – Will Cather
Whenever there is a human being there is an opportunity for kindness. -Seneca
Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind. - Henry James
A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses. –Chinese proverb
Today I bent the truth to be kind and I have no regret, for I am far surer of what is kind than what is true. -Robert Brault
Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away. -Abe Lincoln
The little unremembered acts of kindness and love are the best parts of a person’s life. -William Wordsworth
A kind heart is a fountain of gladness, making everything in its vicinity freshen into smiles. –Washington Irving
Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. –James M. Barrie
Deeds of kindness are equal in weight to all the commandments. - The Talmud
Kindness in words creates confidence, in thinking creates profundity, in giving creates love. Lao-Tse
Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate. - Schweitzer
When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people; as I grow older, I admire kind people- Abraham Joshua Heschel
The worldly man treats certain people kindly because he likes them; the Christian, trying to treat everyone kindly, finds himself liking more and more people as he goes on- including people he could not even have imagined himself liking at the beginning. – CS Lewis
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. –Leo Buscaglia
Always be a little kinder than necessary. - James M Barrie
Once, many years ago, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and was scheduled for a mastectomy. That morning I attended a college class in which the husband of a good friend was also a student. Most mornings we said hello to one another and was about it—he would sit with his guy friends, and I usually sat alone. When he entered class that morning, he came and sat next to me. He never mentioned my mom, never talked about the situation at all. He just sat next to me and chatted a bit. That was the day I learned that sometimes the kindest act is just to be there…and I always remember this as one the most touching acts of kinds I’ve ever received.- Beth Fryer 2
You can’t live a perfect day without doing for someone who will never be able to repay you. - John Wooden
Be kind, everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. Philo, Greek philosopher
Kindness is in our power even when fondness is not. - Samuel Johnson
The more sympathy you give, the less you need.-Malcolm S. Forbes
Kindness it is that brings forth kindness always.-Sophocles, 2500 years ago
Kindness is the greatest wisdom.-Author unknown
No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others it that it makes them kind themselves. –Amelia Earhart
A Story of Kindness
Dr. Thomas James, a family physician in Illinois, was making rounds to check on the status of five patients who had been hospitalized that week. He was not excited about the next room he had to go into. This was Room 208, Mrs. Jane Brown’s room. Mrs. Brown had a number of chronic medical conditions that were interring with her ability to live independently and care for herself at home, and none of the conditions were responding very well to treatment. A proud and independent woman all her life, she was now confined to bed and angry over her increasing dependency on others. She was also disappointed with her health care professionals for their lack of success in treating the myriad of illnesses that were interfering with her ability to walk. During previous visits, she had been very demanding with Dr. James, and seemed to show little appreciation for the efforts he and his team were making to determine the cause of disability. Before entering the room, Tom told himself, that despite how he felt towards her, he needed to be kind…Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door, opened it and walked in.
Looking directly into Mrs. Brown’s eyes, he greeted her with a serious and concerned expression on his face and came to her beside. He pulled up a chair, sat down in it, and said, “I heard it was a rough night, Mrs. Brown,” continuing to look gentle and directly into her eyes. She quickly shot back, “You don’t know how bad it was, doctor. Can’t you give me anything to help me sleep and relax?” Tom responded, “Let me look at you medicines and see what I can do. I can’t guarantee anything, but there may be something without a lot of side effects that could help you rest better at night.” He continued, “Beside the trouble sleeping, how are you doing otherwise? Do you think you’re making progress?” “No doctor, I don’t,” said Mrs. Brown. You’d think you doctors would be able to do something to get me back on my feet but nobody seems to take my complaints seriously.”
“I take your complaints seriously, Mrs. Brown, “said Dr James in a non-defensive tone, maintaining a concerned look on his face. “We’re doing a number of tests and should have some answers this afternoon. For now, let’s take the most important concern that you have this morning. Do you one that outranks all the others?” “Well, Doctor, said Mrs. Brown with some hesitation, my daughter hasn’t visited me a single time since I was admitted to hospital five days ago. I can’t believe it. I’m so hurt.” “Tell me more,” said Tom, nodding his head slightly up and down in an understanding way while giving her his full and undivided attention.
Mrs. Brown spent the next five minutes telling Dr. James about the problems she was having with her daughter, and how her daughter seemed not to care about her anymore. “She is my only daughter, doctor. How could she treat me this way?” “I don’t know, Mrs. Brown, but this conflict with your daughter seems to be bothering you a great deal. What do you think would help you resolve these problems that two of you are having?” Mrs. Brown went on to say how discouraged she was because she really didn’t know what to do. Dr James said, “I will help you figure out a plan. Would you allow me to do that?” after a pause while she carefully scrutinized his face, she said yes, although I don’t how you can help. But thank you. Dr. James leaned forward took her hand gently into his saying quietly, "ok we’ll both think this on our own and discuss what we come up with this afternoon. In the meantime, I will check your chart and be sure that you something ordered to help you rest at night. Good by for now, Mrs. Brown. He said again looking directly into her eyes with a caring smile and giving her hand a firm but gentle squeeze before getting up and leaving the room.
-Rebecca Ryan Resources, Story 13, Random Acts of Kindness Edition with 33 Heartfelt Stories of Kindness.Pp 80-85