World Kindness Day

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Yesterday, November 13, was World Kindness Day, our annual reminder that behaving selflessly is something worth trying now and again. Those cruel killers in Paris obviously didn't get the memo but plenty of other folks did, giving time and money to change lives for the better. This isn't as unusual as we might think. Look past the depressing headlines and you can usually find stories about small groups or individuals who have made a big difference in the lives of others. Here are some recent examples: A California couple had already paid for their wedding reception when one or both of them got cold feet. Rather than cancel the $35,000 extravaganza, the bride's family decided to invite local homeless people to the feast at one of Sacramento's fanciest hotels. About 90 showed up, and a few even made an effort to dress for the occasion. Just before harvest time in a small South Dakota community, a farmer died unexpectedly. Although everyone was busy with their own crops, more than 30 locals brought their machinery and their hearts to the mourning family's farm and completed the harvest for their old friend and neighbor. As New Zealand's All Blacks did a lap of honor after winning the Rugby World Cup, an excited young Kiwi fan ran onto the field to congratulate his heroes. He was tackled rather roughly by a security guard and sent crashing to the turf. AB star Sonny Bill Williams walked the lad back to his mum and then gave the shocked 14-year-old his World Cup winner's medal. Although a few spoilsports suggested that Sonny Bill had rewarded the boy for bad behavior, most folks saw the gesture for what it was - an amazing act of spontaneous generosity. Tales of cruelty and greed too often dominate the headlines, but there is plenty of reason to think that once we strip away the ideologies which divide us, we can be astonishingly kind and noble creatures.