The Kindness of a Few Minutes

"The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood.  The best way to understand people is to listen to them."
― Ralph G. Nichols

Someone I know was navigating a challenge.  At the supermarket, she ran into another woman who had dealt with a similar issue.  Although the other woman is not a good friend of hers, the woman I know shared her difficulty.  The other woman spent a few minutes talking to the woman I know, giving her encouragement and offering to help her whenever needed.  After a hug, they both continued on their separate journeys.  While the other woman probably did not think too much of the time she shared with the woman I know, the moment of connection and empathy was a kindness greatly appreciated.

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Thanks to my husband who is always on the lookout for things related to kindness, I came across an organization, Life Vest Inside, whose mission is "to empower and unite the world with kindness."  Its website, www.lifevestinside.com, has really great information, including a presentation on The Science of Kindness that explains the many reasons that kindness is good for our health, and a video, Kindness Boomerang, that cannot help but inspire you to find opportunities to be kind, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwAYpLVyeFU&feature=em-share_video_user.