A few weeks ago, you might have caught my guest on the podcast explaining the difference between being nice and kind. Hint: Nice is more like milque toast; Kind is more about strength.

Last Friday, I sent my husband the following text:

“The Kindness of Strangers. I was walking back from Dita’s (our dog groomer), and a thunderstorm hit. We stood under a tree for a while. A lady around 30–35 came running out of the house and handed me an umbrella. Apologized it was not perfect and said it was an extra one to get me home.”

To say I was gobsmacked was an understatement. Who leaves their home in an awful thunderstorm to give an extra umbrella to a stranger walking her dog?

I’ll share with you what happened with that one act of kindness.

Once dried off and changed, I immediately texted my husband and emailed a friend. My husband works in the tourist industry and told several tourists during the rest of that afternoon. Each tourist was so impressed that they stopped their madcap rushing, slowed down, engaged in deeper conversations with each other, and paid closer attention to the view. My friend immediately responded AND gave me an excellent solution for a storm-traumatized dog.

I couldn’t get the whacky grin off my face for more than 24 hours. My interactions with everybody — including the usual frenetic weekend grocery and errand running — were calm, unhurried, and empathetic.

I am sharing this to remind you (and me) that Kindness profoundly impacts our lives. It —

• Increases our Happiness: Kindness boosts our mood and makes us feel happier. This is partly because doing something kind for someone else can trigger the release of endogenous opioids in the brain, which are natural versions of morphine and heroin, leading to a ‘Helper’s High.’
• Benefits Heart Health: Kindness is linked to emotional warmth, which can produce oxytocin in the brain. Oxytocin is a ‘cardioprotective’ hormone because it helps lower blood pressure by dilating blood vessels.
• Slows Ageing: Oxytocin also reduces levels of free radicals and inflammation in the cardiovascular system, which are factors that contribute to aging.
• Improves Relationships: Kindness reduces emotional distance between people, making us feel more bonded and connected. This is a fundamental aspect of human nature and is crucial for our well-being and survival.
• Is Contagious: Kindness spreads from person to person, creating a ripple effect that leads to more acts of kindness within a community.

All of these side effects highlight how kindness benefits not only others but also significantly impacts our well-being.

In 1970, country and western singer Glen Campbell released his song, Try a little Kindness. I think that sentiment is the perfect salve for what ails our troubled world in 2024.