kindness

It is a fact undeniable that kindness brightens the countenance of the beneficiary, benefactor and onlookers alike. This was the scenario that unfolded at the General Hospital Ikot Ekpene. The hospital was thrown into a frenzy of joyous celebration and appreciations when a kind-hearted Nigerian, Sir Nsikak Umoren decided to go celebrate his birthday with patients at the General Hospital. In the course of his visit, he was propelled by compassion and empathy for the sick and he decided to offset the bills of patients who had completed medical treatment but were not discharged due to inability to clear their financial bills. Patients in male surgical ward, female surgical ward and labour ward were given top priority. Even in a world and time where selfishness often makes headlines, there are still people who believe in humanity, people who share in the plight of the commoners and downtrodden. You call them kind-hearted people. But I call them the chosen ones. The ones specially ordained by Nature and Providence to work on a high frequency of energy which radiates from the heart to keep the balance of the Universe.

Sow seeds of kindness in the morning, in the afternoon, refrain not your hands from compassionate acts, for you know not when the rewarder will come for you. An African woman who worked as a domestic staff to a French family, spared nothing in showering genuine love and care for the French family in her youthful days. And after many years had passed, distance and space separating them, and the very children she nursed and nurtured had grown into adults. This man went back to look for the nanny that took care of him 38 years ago. The French man was able to meet her and gave her 10 million Francs and also placed her on monthly salary. This is a subtle reminder that aside making life more meaningful for all, no act of kindness truly goes unrewarded. May we be inspired each day to keep T.A.L.K.ing.

There are neither restricted zones nor areas for kindness. And this makes it possible for one to show or experience kindness anywhere, even in places we least expect. This is the story of a young Nigerian lady, who through the kindness of others had her life uplifted. During the endsars protest in Nigeria, a young lady was spotted on crutches, her zeal and determination to live her best life caught the attention of Chinonso Egemba popularly known as Aproko Doctor. He launched a fundraising effort. Outpouring of support from the masses was overwhelming. People from all walks of life donated generously, touched by her resilience and Aproko Doctor’s thoughtfulness .In a matter of days, the necessary funds were raised, and she received her new prosthetic leg.The moment she took her first steps with the prosthetic, she felt a surge of hope and empowerment. She realized that her life was not defined by her disability, but by her strength and determination. This demonstration of concern for her had not only given her a new limb but also a renewed sense of purpose.Every act done out of kindness edges us to the realization that we are one big family and we owe each other love, respect and empathy.

A heartwarming video of a Nigerian man spreading kindness has taken the internet by storm. The video captures his inspiring acts of generosity as he offers free rides and distributes money, bringing joy and gratitude to many. His kindness doesn’t stop there; he also books rides online, surprising drivers with cash gifts, and approaches strangers to give them bags of goodies. This remarkable display of goodwill has captivated viewers worldwide, inspiring many to demonstrate more acts of kindness in their own lives. Iman Muhammad, a young lady, shared her thoughts on kindness: “Any act of kindness is commendable, no matter how little. It is a blessing to have family who are thoughtful enough to meet one’s needs and expectations, just like this brother who gifted his sibling a phone.” Let this story inspire us all to spread kindness, no matter how big or small, and make a positive impact in our communities. l.https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMrhsR2pX

Can you imagine living in a place where everyone but you spoke the same language? Very uncomfortable right? Such was life for Muaharrem, a deaf man in Istanbul who uses sign language to communicate. Muaharrem spent every day communicating with people in his town the best he could. He may have gotten by, but was never able to truly live. Until one day, when a Samsung ad created a new world for him that he never thought possible. As Muaharrem’s sister, Ozlem, walked him through his neighborhood, he suddenly realized that everyone he encountered not only understood his language but was able to use it with him. Samsung had contracted the locals to learn sign language as a promotion for its new technology for the hard of hearing but ended up giving Muaharrem the best gift he could have gotten: the gift of communication. To be kind, one doesn’t need to be rich, intelligent and powerful. You only need to have empathy, you only need to be considerate about the feelings of others you only need to care and be a entity that’s both human and humane .

A fisherman who was fishing east of the Farallon Islands (just outside of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California) spotted a whale who was fully entangled and bound in a fishing net. The fisherman radioed for help and within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that the whale was so badly tangled that the only way to save her was to dive in, cut the ropes and untangle her…. a very dangerous proposition as one slap of the tail could kill a rescuer. They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her.When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, nudged them, and pushed gently, thanking them. Some said that it was the most incredibly beautiful experience they had ever had.The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the entire time and he will never be the same. May you be so fortunate to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you. And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude. Although we may speak different languages and exist on various levels of the biological hierarchy, there is one universal mode of communication that transcends linguistic and species barriers – kindness. We should strive to be compassionate not only towards our own kind, but to all living things and beings.

A heartwarming incident happened and it is worthy of note. A middle aged man pulled up to the hardware store and watched this take place right in front of him, reinforcing his faith in humanity. This guy sees two kids walking in the pouring rain while one is pushing his broken bicycle and he stops everything he is doing and spends 5 minutes getting drenched with rain while he fixes this little boy’s bike. These kids rode off so happy and he left with a smile on his face from ear to ear. As a matter of fact, he put a smile on the faces of everyone that witnessed this selfless act of kindness too. This is the humanity we’re advocating for. One mustn’t necessarily break the bank to be kind. Something as little as a compliment, holding the door for someone, giving them a listening ear, could all have great impact on the lives of people around. In all you do, make kindness a priority.

At the age of 44, Rick Ruzzamenti had never even donated blood. But, after hearing about a woman who donated a kidney to help an ailing friend, he decided to see if he could donate his kidney to a stranger.His action, the enormous generosity of one altruistic man, generated a domino chain that resulted in what the National Kidney Registry call Chain 124, an unprecedented 60 operations, linking 30 kidneys from 30 donors to people who needed one. This demonstrates in no small measure, the multiplier effect of kindness. Every act of kindness, be it ever little, sets off a chain reaction of other numerous acts of kindness.

A man in Kano went to a foodseller.He had not eaten in 3 days.He begged the seller for food on credit. The foodseller said no because he already gave food to too many people on credit. The man sat down beside the foodseller’s shop as he had nowhere else to go. The foodseller told him he’s very sorry and he would like to help but too many people in the neighbourhood have collected food on credit and his business is sinking. The man sat there and said nothing. As time went on, other people came into the shop to buy foodstuff and went out- they noticed the man at the door sitting there sleeping. But nobody bothered. Until one man came later in the day and asked the foodseller: “who is the man sitting at your door?” “Why is he there?” Then the foodseller said “oh it’s a man who says he has not eaten for 3 days and he wants to collect food on credit but I could not give him because my business is struggling from all the credit I have already given out”. Then the other man said: “How much is the food he wants?” The food seller said “It’s a few cups of garri, rice and beans. Everything may be 2,000 naira”. The other man said “Alright pack everything he wants and more. I would pay for it. Let him go home to his family and eat”. The foodseller packed all the food and went outside to tell the man with joy that someone has paid for his food. He saw the man still sleeping.He tapped him to wake him up, he didn’t respond. Tapped him again, nothing. The man had died.He died sitting and waiting for help. This happened just few days ago in Badawa, Kano. Some people who live in that area know this story. The man was dead all along while people were coming in and out of the shop thinking he was sleeping. He died hopeless. He died helpless. He died a man who lacked even though the environment flourished in abundance. If you know anyone in this period who is hungry around you and you can afford a little kindness to improve their situation , please do. Many people are walking the streets with an empty stomach, many people are wrestling with the fierce stings of depression. If only you Try A Little Kindness, if only I dare to be kind, and if we all are inspired to act kindly, we would be making the world better. We would be liberating humanity from the shackles of abject poverty and hunger. There’s a role that everyone can play, there’s something anyone can do, KINDNESS. May we never have cause to delay kindness.