Kindness Across Generations

"Goodness is about character - integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like.  More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people."
~ Dennis Prager

I recently returned from a trip overseas with a small group of members of a lay religious order.  As generally seems to happen when I travel, I witnessed many acts of kindness -- including an ongoing one that involved two members of the group, the youngest and the oldest.  The oldest member was an elegant gentleman of 80.  He reminded me of someone who might have been a movie star.  With silver hair, he usually dressed in a navy blazer and khakis, and wore his sunglasses.  The youngest member of the group was a man in his 30s, the father of three young children.  In a very quiet way, the younger man constantly looked after the older gentleman.  On the plane, he made sure to help him with his luggage.  He accompanied the older man if the latter needed to run an errand.  He also made sure the older man had a place to sit at meals.  At dinner one evening, the older gentleman shared with me how very much he appreciate the younger man's constant kindness.  And it was obvious how much the younger man admired and enjoyed being with the older man.