Choosing Kind #SOL15






"Imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered, as a matter of course, just one kind word to another person.  There have been so many stories about the lack of courtesy, the impatience of today's world, road rage and even restaurant rage.  Sometimes, all it takes is one kind word to nourish another person.  Think of the ripple effect that can be created when we nourish someone.  One kind empathetic word has a wonderful way of turning into many."
-Mr. Rogers

I've been overwhelmed with sadness at many of the stories I've been reading on Facebook.  Humans of New York has been featuring stories of the refugees in Syria and they are absolutely horrifying and heartbreaking.  I can't even fathom what other human beings are experiencing.  I read updates from Ana Marquez-Greene's family and am just astounded by their grace and courage, but their loss is so stunning in its' sadness that I am filled with despair that they were robbed of their precious girl.  I sobbed as I read how they bought 4 pumpkins and Ana's older brother couldn't stop the tears at how much he  misses his sister, not there to decorate her pumpkin with her family. So much sadness and horror, happening to people just like me, just like all of us.

I'm a girl who needs there to be a happy ending at the end of the book.  Sadness can't be the end of the story.  So I keep looking for stories of kindness as an antidote to the evil that scares me and breaks my heart.  I found one in the above story of an elderly man who needed help eating his breakfast and the kind-hearted cashier who took time to quietly help a man he didn't know.  I am recommitted to sharing stories of kindness to my class, to not just giving lip service to district initiatives to #choosekind and TEACH character education- to REALLY do it, to really live it, because our world REALLY needs more Kenny's.  



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