Be Kind This Year and Beyond

Be the reason for joy in people’s lives.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be kind in a world consumed by fame, money, power, and destruction?

I am sure you do.

I was born in Mogadishu, Somalia and raised by very humble and kind parents. I think you heard many negative stories from the media about this beautiful country in East Africa.

It was only a week ago on 28th December 2019, early in the morning when a car explosion took place in Mogadishu while I was heading to the university campus for my final exam of the semester. It left more than 80 people dead and more than 100 people injured according to the local news. That devastated me and reminded me of the consequences of being unkind to your fellow human beings.

It was then, that I decided to write about kindness as my first topic of the year on Medium and tell the rest of the world the impact it could make to be kind without mentioning the negative side of the tragedy and the sad moments we are going through right now.

Kind By Birth

We are all born with kindness inside our hearts, but it is the environment and the surroundings that cultivate that kindness or diminishes it.

Without a doubt, every one of us likes or loves to be kind, no matter where you are from or what is your race or religion.

The question you should ask yourself today and every day for the rest of your life should be: How can I be kind today?

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Every act of kindness is a Sadaqa (charity)”

From the moment you wake up in the morning until late in the evening when you are ready to go back to sleep and call it a day, in between them you have unlimited chances to do an act of kindness.

Kindness doesn’t cost a cent at all; in fact, you should be the most generous person in the world when it comes to being kind.

Now you might agree with me and say let's do it, but then wonder to whom you should be kind to?

Good question, let me assure you that you have unlimited choices when it comes to being kind, starting with your own self by treating it well, followed by your loved ones, family, friends, relatives, neighbors, co-workers, fellow human beings and even the animals.

Remember, it is always your choice to start with whom you want to be kind with, but to give you a piece of advice, I would say to you be kind to every living creature on this planet.

Now that it’s sorted out whom to be kind with, it is time to figure out how to be kind or in other words what can you do to be kind?

Again, it is really hard to name all of them, but let me mention a few ways that can resonate with you very well. They are very simple and easy to do.

Smile

Let me start with the easiest and the best way of showing kindness, which is none other than a sincere Smile.

Smile is a universal language that we all speak and understand. It is the ultimate act of kindness that you can practice every day.

Do not underestimate the power of a Smile.

Say “have a nice day” with a big smile to a homeless person. Within seconds you will feel its effects immediately.

Smile and greet everyone you encounter early in the morning whether you are going for a walk or heading to work. Just give it a try and I would be glad to hear your feedback in the comment section below.

Other simple ways of showing doing of kindness without a cost are as following:

1- Text a parent, spouse, child, or friend to tell them you love them.

2- Say something nice to someone else. Kind words matter a lot.

3- Help a person load their grocery bags or stuff into their car, or help them mount the bus.

4- If you find debris on the road or highway, remove it or call the local number to inform the state’s highway patrol about it so others won’t be harmed.

5- Give up your seat for someone, especially an elderly person.

6- Pour water into someone’s glass or get someone a glass of water.

7- Give someone wise and gentle advice.

8- Forgive someone who hurt you in the past.

9- Write and mail off a handwritten thank you card for the people you care about.

10- Give a good tip to your fellow professionals.

The list could go on, simply because there are no limitations to be kind. Therefore, I am urging everyone who reads this to challenge him/her self to be kind today, tomorrow, this week, this month, this year and beyond.

This alone could make a huge difference in the world we live in today.

Please, let us be kind to each other so that we leave this world to be a better place than when we first came in and live in peace.

Thank you for your precious time.

Ahmed Jamal writes for our publication, Our First Year.