Swandeh Terhide

Sometimes, it is in the littlest of things that meaning is made out of the labyrinth nature of life. Three years ago, Araba Maze was reading a book to her niece on the front stoop of her Baltimore home in a perfectly ordinary fashion. But as the pages turned, the number of local children gathered around for “stoop storytime” increased until Maze had to take notice. ‘What are they doing?’ she thought. When she had finished reading to them, they asked her to read another. “Go home and read,” she said. “We don’t have any books,” they replied. Little did she know, but those fateful minutes of reading time launched Maze’s career as a librarian and influencer who champions a cause of getting books into the hands of urban children with no access to libraries. Now known as Storybook Maze, she started work at the nearest library, which wasn’t that near since her neighborhood is one of the worst ‘book deserts’ in Baltimore. Using her training, she began to curate collections of books and get them into the hands of children using three creative methods. The first is a free book vending machine. Using her extreme popularity on social media platforms , she gathered funds to install a book vending machine for kids on the street in 2023. Through her efforts in opening pop-up bookstores, she’s distributed over 7,000 books to children. Throughout the process, she routinely hosted more ‘stoop storytimes’ where she would read to children throughout the city, driving publicity through her social media channels. Now, Storybook Maze is attempting her largest project yet—a book trolley. With the goal of raising $100,000 on GoFundMe, she hopes to have a colorful children’s train that will toot-toot its way through the book deserts of Baltimore, providing as many books as can fit in the carriage cars. “This book haven on wheels aims to break down barriers and provide access to books that traditional libraries can’t reach,” Maze writes. “As the wheels of the Book Trolley turn,  so do the pages of countless stories waiting to be discovered.” If we don’t hold back, if we don’t attempt to resist the free flow of the power of kindness through us, then we would surely be creating a safe haven where every good thing is possible. -Be inspired to act kindly, always.

Times are undoubtedly rough and tough, but if only we can allow our aspirations, desires and struggles to be absolved in the love of humanity, the weight on each other won’t be too heavy.  A very kind hearted Nigerian Youth Armstrong Amobi Ophoke, popularly known as KAA saw a distressed man, he was moved by compassion and the outcome is so glorious. He had this to say Walking in, he greeted me as usual; only that this time around he looked lost. I couldn’t see that bright charming smile I had known him for. I was such in a hurry that I didn’t pay much attention to him. I simply greeted back and walked past. 25 minutes later, I walked out of the building with a carton of Paradise Chicken Pizza in my hands. Towards my car I noticed him sitting on a pavement with his face buried between his legs. I paused for a moment to observe him better. Whatever was his problem, I didn’t want to get involved. I drove off. But the appetite for the pizza was suddenly no longer there. I was going home but it was as though my spirit was left behind. I made a U-turn. Five minutes later I was looking at this man again. This time around he was holding on to a crossbar above his head. I observed from a distance as he stared unconsciously at nothing. I was in my car for a few minutes, watching him through a tinted glass. After a while, he slumped back on the pavement and leaned on the wall behind him. His colleague who has been manning the entrance came and talked to him briefly, patting him on the shoulder as if he was consoling him, and then walked back to the door. I came out of the car and walked up to him. He only noticed me when I sat next to him. Looking at his face I noticed the fading wrinkles of dried tears. His uniform was not even properly buttoned and his lips were so dry and looked like it needed thorough scrubbing. He said good afternoon sir with a very weak voice. I told him that my name was KAA and asked his own name, he said Ade. I asked if he was sick, and he said no. I persuaded him to tell me what was bothering him but when he opened up to talk, tears rushed out from his eyes. I waited patiently as he struggled to regain his composure and the little strength he had left. His story was a very pathetic one. He was sent out from his house with his wife and two little kids because he could not pay his rent. What’s most painful is that rain had beaten them the night before and his employer vehemently refused to help him. This is a man who’s unlike his colleagues. Despite his hardship, he does not go about harassing people with corporate begging. He does his work professionally, with a smile on his face, same face that was now soaked in tears.  I asked how much is the rent, he said 350k. It was previously 250k before the landlord increased it. I asked him to call me after work and he did. He took me to a Church where his wife and children sat among other less privileged people at the church gate. I don’t even want to talk about what I saw them eating. The children were looking like they were going to drop dead the next minute. I and the man went together to see the landlord. I pleaded that he should accept them back to the house. I cleared their six-month debt and paid for another two years. Hopefully, we will be able to find an easy-to-learn skill for the man. Having a skill will unburden his 50k security job. This was how my yesterday ended. May God see every one of us through our struggles. Kind people sure exist, if you can’t find one, be one. HUMANITY ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE

By being aware of the presence of others, by acknowledging the validity of what words they’re saying – these are simple acts that may have far reaching effect on people and may possibly change the trajectory of things for them generally. In our day-to-day lives, there are moments when we get to decide whether we want to offer a helping hand. These gestures often feel trivial to us, but sometimes have the power to change the course of someone’s life. This kind of transformative experience happened to Bill Price when he was 15 years old. It was the fall of 1972, and Price was attending a reunion for a summer program he’d taken part in a few months before. He remembers standing outside at the end of the day, catching up with friends. Eventually, everyone said their goodbyes — leaving Price standing by himself. “And sometimes when you’re alone, it’s OK,” Price said. “Sometimes when you’re alone, you feel bereft and abandoned. And that’s the way I felt then.” Nearby, another group of teenagers stood laughing and talking. “I found myself wishing so much to be a part of that group,” Price remembered. One of the people in the group was a person named Wendy Westman. She and Price had only met in passing at the summer program a few months earlier. As Price stood there, feeling increasingly lonely, Westman turned around and asked him if he’d like to join her group. “My life was transformed in that moment,” Price said. Westman reaching out sparked a realization in Price: He could offer that same kindness to anyone, at any time. “It’s so easy to see someone who seems left out and alone and notice them, say hello to them, be kind to them,” Price explained. “And my realization was [that] that is a gift that we can all give.” Price went on to become a psychiatrist. A primary part of his job is being kind to his patients, listening to them and being attentive to their needs. Price attributes his understanding of the importance of kindness to that moment when he was 15 years old. “To the extent that I’m a good person in my life today, it’s probably due to Wendy Westman inviting me to join her group,” he said. May our whole lives be an expression of kindness, empathy and respect for other people.

Sometimes, the acts of kindness that change and reshape the world are ones that demand the ultimate sacrifice from us, maybe not immediately but eventually. In 2011, a group of more than 200 elderly Japanese volunteered to help take care of the nuclear crisis at the ruined Fukushima nuclear power plant. The Skilled Veterans Corps, as they named themselves, was comprised of retired engineers and professionals over the age of 60. They believed that they should be the ones to face the dangers of radiation, not the young, who might have their years cut short by the invisible, deadly radioactive fallout. “I am 72, and on average I probably have 13 to 15 years left to live,” said one volunteer of his service. “Even if I were exposed to radiation, cancer could take 20 or 30 years or longer to develop. Therefore us older ones have less chance of getting cancer.” To step forward as these volunteers did, in order to protect the lives of the young, is one of the most touching acts of kindness a human being can make. Their example of kindness changed the world by setting the bar for self-sacrifice. Few, in any country, would be willing to lay aside their lives for the next generation, but these volunteers showed a willingness that leaves the world a legacy of kindness. Posterity will forever remain grateful, for their selfless acts of kindness did preach and still preaches on.

At TLI, we’ve always maintained that when the Universe and  providence elevate you, remember to use your influence and power to liberate others and sow the seeds of kindness in a very pattern-less manner. President Abraham Lincoln presided over a divided country, in what was one of the most difficult times of American history—the Civil War. Although he was forced to go to war, his emancipation of American slaves was an act of kindness and bravery the world will not forget. Lincoln’s views are made clear in his quote from his biography, “Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.” In all honesty, Lincoln was not a fan. Although his views were more complex than many now believe, Lincoln believed in the equality of all men to improve their lives, regardless of skin colour, religious affiliations and political borders. And so it was because of this personal dislike of slavery that Lincoln attempted to thread the narrow passage between his idealism and the practicality needed to hold a country together, freeing the majority of the slaves through the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. He did so during a time when the freedom of slaves was an unpopular idea, and admitted great fear upon doing so. But the kindness of Abraham Lincoln changed the world for the better, despite the difficult nature of the change he thrust upon America. Looking at this, we can rightly say, -because the hearts of kind men continue to beat, liberty will forever prevail.