The Kindness Flash #04 This month’s theme: EMPATHY – the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Everyday Kindness: Jeremy Swanson’s Bouquet of Kindness For Jeremy Swanson, being kind and wanting to help others is something he does daily. He’s a fan of Life Vest Inside’s Act of Kindness cards, each card with a specific act of kindness to complete, and he carries out most of them on a daily basis. There was one act of kindness though that even this kindness veteran couldn’t seem to get to. But when he did, it led to a moment he’d never forget. Written By Soumya • Read More >> Everyday Kindness: An Extra Kind Mile Ashish Jagini’s kindness journey began at his restaurant when one day he made a decision in spite of obstacles that arose. Little did he know that it would be a decision that would change his life and the lives of many others. Written By Soumya • Read More >> Kind Connection: Brian Canavan Eight years ago when Brian Canavan found himself mentally exhausted, stressed, and unhappy, he decided to leave behind a high-paying job and pursue a new life. He slowly came to find that by helping others, he was in turn helping himself. Get to know more about Brian and see if there’s a way you can contribute advice or guidance to help Brian fulfill his Kindness Wish! Read the full interview on the blog >> Good News By Orly Wahba This month was one that was filled with tragedy in many parts of the world from Orlando to Bangladesh, to Israel, to Turkey, to Iran; the list of unspeakable acts of terror goes on and on. BUT amidst the tragedy survived and thrived the spirit of the human soul; the spirit of kindness and solidarity; the spirit of empathy and unity. Over the past month and a half I had the opportunity to spend time in Israel and it was an amazing experience. Then on June 9th at , two men opened fire in Sarona Market (a very popular outdoor area in the heart of Tel Aviv) killing 5 people and wounding 17. I just so happened to be in Tel Aviv the evening of the terror attack in Sarona Market. Luckily, my parents who were also in Israel and planning to be at Sarona Market at that exact time, ended up receiving a call from my cousins and so they decided to simply hang out with them at the hotel. When the news came my way of what had transpired, I didn’t know how to react, what to say, what to think, what to feel. And so when I returned back to the hotel that evening I did something many of us do in times of tragedy, I took out my phone and just began typing a letter… Dear Hashem, (another name for G-d) I’m speechless knowing that it could have been me standing there tonight, it could have been my parents, my cousin, my friend. But it WAS someone; someone’s friend, someone’s daughter, someone’s brother. It doesn’t matter what religion, nationality, or culture they were associated with – all that matters is that they were human beings filled with potential to bring something positive into this world. Questions may be racing across my mind but knowing that I’m just a passenger and you are the pilot, grants me the faith, courage and determination I need to push forward. I will NOT give up on this world, no matter how ugly things will get. And I will NEVER hate no matter how much some may push. I WON’T settle for anything less than a world of kindness, understanding, tolerance and love. It starts with each of us taking a moment to truly value ourselves and by so doing come to value others. With kindness, A hopeful and fiercely determined soul The very next morning I awoke and saw a YouTube video of hundreds gathering by Sarona Market, the very same place that was filled with hate the night before; hate that lead to the death of innocent people. But this video was not a video of hate, fear or aggression; it was a video of love, kindness, strength and above all hope. People of all ages locked arm in arm singing, swaying and united as though to say we will not allow terror or negativity to change who we are. THAT is the power of the human spirit and WOW how beautiful it is! To the world I wish to say, we must stay strong. Now, more than ever, we need to use our most valuable possession – our voice. It’s easy to get sucked into the endless cycle of hate and anger, but where will that lead us but to more hate and anger. What I’m proposing is not easy, but who said that changing world would be easy. The point is, it is in our power and it is through our voice that we can create the change we have always hoped for, but it requires all of us to speak up for tolerance, for kindness, for understanding. In my humble opinion it is through education that tolerance and love is born. What makes Life Vest Inside so special and unique is that it is an organization that embraces people from all backgrounds, races and religions. It is a place that doesn’t look at you based on a label that others may easily place on you, but that sees the power of the human potential and the fact that each and every person is unique. On our Ambassador group we have representatives from over 120 countries; each different and distinct in their own way, but the exchange that happens within this fabulous group is one of love and understanding; one of warmth and compassion. It opens people up to share and educate others about who they are, and allows others to see that our differences is where our greatest beauty lies. Let us reignite our faith in the world and humanity; stay strong my friends, stay strong! Kindness Quote “Empathy is about standing in someone else’s shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes. Not only is empathy hard to outsource and automate, but it makes the world a better place.” ~ Daniel Pink Act of Kindness One of the most difficult, yet extraordinarily powerful things is to empathize with another; offer comfort regardless of whether you have or haven’t been there yourself. Sometimes it’s not about what we say, but what we make another feel. Open yourself up not to simply sympathize (to feel compassion, sorrow, or pity for the hardships of another), but to do something far more courageous – to empathize; to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Question of the Month Have you ever been in a situation where your empathy for another inspired you to spring into action and offer comfort even though you were dealing with unfamiliar territory? Share with us in the comments. Kindness Media Book of the Month Subscribe to The Kindness Flash | Archives
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