kindness

When armed conflict is a way of life, a lasting resolution may seem beyond reach. And yet, while small acts of personal courage may not ultimately shape the larger outcome, there are some people on both sides who continue reaching for peace regardless. Israeli kindergarten teacher and mother-of-three Idit Harel Segal wanted to do something meaningful for her 50th birthday. Rather than receiving a present, she chose to give one. In memory of her late grandfather, Segal decided to donate a kidney. The life-saving gift Segal offered not only aligns with her Jewish faith—but was her way of extending an olive branch as well, because the kidney recipient was a 3-year-old Palestinian boy from the Gaza Strip. Although there are strict restrictions in place limiting the number of entry permits, the Jerusalem-based, nongovernmental organization Matnat Chaim was able to arrange for the surgical procedure on humanitarian grounds. (To move the little boy to the head of the donor list in Gaza, his father also agreed to donate a kidney to an Israeli patient, a 25-year-old mother of two.) With all the pieces in place, the surgery was scheduled for June 16, 2021, but before it took place, Segal wanted to make sure the little boy would know just how much giving this particular gift meant to her when he grew older, so she sent him a letter. “You don’t know me… You don’t understand my language and I don’t understand yours, but soon we’ll be very close because my kidney will be in your body,” she wrote. “I hope with all my heart that this surgery will succeed and you will live a long and healthy and meaningful life.” In the hospital, Segal met with the little boy and his mother. She sat next to them on his hospital bed, and as the mother comforted her son, Segal sang to him until he nodded off. “He fell asleep, then I left. I cried,” she recalled in an interview. “It was really moving. Deep inside I knew I did something good.” Segal admits her course of action wasn’t received without conflict within her own family. Her husband, eldest son, and father initially opposed the plan. But Segal—considering the gesture as the way to best honor the values of the beloved grandfather she’d lost five years earlier—held firm to a decision she says came on the heels of an 11-day outbreak of renewed hostilities. “I threw away the anger and frustration and see only one thing. I see hope for peace and love,” she said. “And if there will be more like us, there won’t be anything to fight over.” Eventually, her family came to appreciate and embrace the choice she’d made. Segal believes that compared to the grander scheme of things, what she’s done is only “a small thing”—but even so, any step closer to kindness and peace taken in good faith is a step in the right direction.

RNLI volunteers in the UK were in the middle of a crew member’s wedding when their pagers went off, summoning them to rescue six people stranded on a beach near Ilfracombe, Devon. The lifesavers, who were lined up the aisle creating an arch for newlyweds Ashley Witcombe and his wife Cheryl, raced to the lifeboat station and launched the inshore lifeboat within just seven minutes. Wedding photographer Becky Payne, 39, captured the dramatic moment, saying, “They’d literally just got married. We went outside and just after we took a couple of pictures they had to run. It was pretty exciting.” Despite the challenging conditions, the RNLI crew successfully rescued the three adults and three children who had become stranded during a paddleboarding trip. Later that afternoon, the lifeboat crew drove past the seaside wedding venue again while on a training exercise and waved to the newlywed couple. RNLI lifeboatman Leigh Hanks acknowledged the disruption to Ashley and Cheryl’s special day, saying, “We hope the pagers didn’t disrupt Ashley and Cheryl’s special day too much, although I’m sure it’s something they’re both used to. It’s not the first time the pagers have gone off at a crew wedding, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.” There is so much to take home from here, particularly the respect for human life. It requires immense selflessness and compassion for individuals celebrating a special occasion to consider the needs of others. Their swift actions and professionalism not only gave rise to a successful rescue but also ensured a positive outcome for everyone involved.

A Massachusetts woman experienced a medical emergency while driving on the highway, but her luck turned when Adolfo Molina came to her aid. The 25-year-old Dominican sprinted across four lanes of snow-covered traffic to intervene as her car veered dangerously close to the guardrails, continuing to accelerate on the shoulder. The dramatic rescue was captured on video by a nearby driver and quickly went viral online, showcasing Molina’s efforts to stop the vehicle by grabbing the door handles. His wife, Maytee Pena, expressed her pride, stating, “I was surprised at first, but at the end of the day I wasn’t, because he’s a helpful person. Something in his mind just said ‘go help’ so he got out of the car and did what he needed to do; it was like a sign from God.” At one point, another bystander joined Molina, and together they attempted to slow the car using sticks, pushing it toward the guardrails to prevent it from returning to the highway. Eventually, the vehicle hit a divider and came to a stop. State police later confirmed that the driver, a 57-year-old woman from New Hampshire, had lost consciousness while driving. Adolfo Molina’s courageous actions were subsequently acknowledged by the Dominican consulate in Boston. He expressed his desire to meet the driver to check on her recovery. When we see people leaving everything else to help people in need, it re-echoes the hope we all have in humanity. May all our thoughts, words and actions point to the path of kindness.

Kelly and Jake Levine faced the typical anxieties of first-time parents as they prepared to take their five-month-old daughter, Romey, on a flight from New Jersey to Mexico. The couple was unsure how their daughter would handle the journey, especially since it was her first time flying. During the return flight, an unexpected moment unfolded. Romey became captivated by a woman sitting across the aisle, Meegan Rubin, who was crocheting. The rhythmic movement of Rubin’s hands held the baby’s attention throughout the flight. Rubin, noticing the baby’s fascination, realized that the yarn she was using matched Romey’s outfit. With only an hour left in the nearly five-hour flight, she decided to create a beanie for the baby. Once the plane landed, Rubin presented the finished hat to the Levines. Kelly Levine expressed her astonishment, stating, “Never seen someone work so fast in my life. I had no idea it was for us.” She appreciated the gesture, noting it was a wonderful way to brighten the day of a stranger and everyone around them. Rubin, who had taken up crocheting during the pandemic, explained her motivation: “I couldn’t help it. I was like, this baby is getting something because she’s too cute.” She described crocheting as a rewarding and calming activity, stating, “Creating something out of a string is so rewarding. It’s like holding the entire universe inside your hands.” Kindness, even the very simplest act can create meaningful connections between strangers. Plus, one doesn’t need a committee meeting or years of planning before expressing kindness. It should be as spontaneous as the disintegration of atomic nuclei in a radioactive substance.

Shaquille O’Neal is frequently in the news, not only for his remarkable sports achievements but also for his generous spirit. Known for his charitable efforts and spontaneous acts of kindness, Shaq recently received praise from law enforcement after assisting a woman involved in a car accident in Florida. According to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Department, Shaq noticed the woman’s tire blow out while driving on I-75 and immediately pulled over. He ensured she was unharmed and stayed with her until help arrived. Dash cam footage captured his departure, where he greeted the surprised officers with a fist bump. How truly heartening it is, when we pause our supposedly tight schedules to assist another fellow. May we never be too busy or in such a rush that we decline the invitation to show kindness when such needs arise.

Sometimes unexpected events leave us in awe, rendering us unable to express anything more than a simple thank you. Truly, we may never know the depth of impact, random acts of kindness can have on others. In a recent visit to a Dollar Tree, where a woman was shopping for inexpensive items for her classroom, specifically looking for hands-on experiences for toddlers and preschoolers. As she entered the toy section, she noticed a grown man with a couple of friends, holding a toy that made a whistling sound when twirled above his head. The man appeared hesitant to try the toy, possibly because of the woman’s presence or perhaps due to his age. Noticing his reluctance, she encouraged him to embrace his inner child, assuring him that life is too short to worry about what others might think. The gentleman took the advice, played with the toy, and smiled widely, prompting laughter from both of them. Later, the same man approached the woman and inquired if the items in her basket were for her students. The man extended his hand and offered a gift card for the Dollar Tree, stating that he wanted to help with their purchases. The woman’s face brightened in astonishment, feeling speechless and in shock, unable to articulate the emotions she was experiencing. Both she and the young man left Dollar Tree feeling invigorated, having stepped outside their usual shopping routines to engage in each other’s lives.

On a sweltering summer day, a family found themselves stranded on a remote Midwestern Road when their car ran out of gas. Faced with the daunting task of reaching the nearest service station, the father decided to embark on the long trek, leaving his wife and children behind in the shade of the vehicle. As he trudged along the hot asphalt, he hoisted a heavy steel gas can. Passing a nearby construction site, he noticed the workers lounging in the shade, enjoying their lunches and escaping the heat. Pricked by compassion, one of the workers called out to him and tossed his keys over, offering the man his truck. Grateful for the unexpected gesture, the father accepted the keys, knowing this act of kindness would make all the difference. A couple of hours later, the family returned to their stranded car, this time in the comfort of the worker’s truck. They filled up the gas can and thanked the construction crew for their generosity. From that day forward, every time the family passed a construction site, they felt a warm appreciation in their hearts for the kindness of strangers and it changed their overall psychological make up of what humanity entails. Each of us has what it takes to make life easy for someone else. However, if we can’t help them, let’s at least not add to their burden.

A heartwarming incident that made my face brighten up with renewed hope in the inherent good of humans. As the chill of the night crept in, a homeless man sought refuge under the bridge, his bicycle his only companion. Curled up on a thin blanket, he braced himself against the cold, his weary eyes scanning the darkness. It was then that a passerby, moved by the sight of this homeless man’s plight, approached him with a simple question: “Do you need anything?” His response was a humble one, “I could use some food.” Without hesitation, the passerby set out to find something warm and nourishing. He returned with two steaming sandwiches, a bottle of water, and a pack of ten hand warmers, a small gesture that ignited a spark of hope in the homeless man’s heart. As he gratefully accepted the food and warmth, his words of thanks poured forth in a most sincere way. Kindness in a world that can often feel cold and just cruel, isn’t just a necessity but a requirement. Life will get much better if we make efforts to improve the situation of others, positively.

In a very inspiring story from Chongqing, China, a man named Wang faced a whirlwind of emotions when he accidentally left his bag, containing an engagement ring, outside a local sour and spicy noodle shop. Upon realizing his mistake, he rushed back, only to find that a little girl had found the bag and given it to the restaurant manager to prevent it from being stolen. Grateful for the return of his precious ring, Wang proposed to his girlfriend later that day, and she happily accepted. To celebrate their engagement and express his gratitude, he decided to treat 5,000 customers to free bowls of spicy noodles, equivalent to the shop’s daily sales. A long queue formed outside the restaurant as eager patrons awaited their complimentary meals. Wang also posted a heartfelt letter outside the shop, stating, “Chongqing has the woman I love and so many nice people. I feel very honored and happy.” The feeding of 5000 people that day is very symbolic of the multiplier effect of random acts of kindness. In all your dealings, embrace kindness and do to others as you’d have it done to you.