What Kindness Means to Me

Image Description: Two hands are holding one another as an expression of kindness.

What Kindness Means to Me

Human kindness. It’s not something we think about often. That is, we don’t think about it unless someone does something kind for us that we weren’t expecting. Kindness means being selfless and compassionate. It takes practice to feel it and understand it. With the new year upon us, this is the perfect time to stop and reflect. Recently, I was lucky enough to be reminded of what kindness means.

I row crew competitively, and while I was at a race in Northern California with my team, I noticed one of the blisters on my palms had reopened. Rowing crew is an intense sport and with it comes injuries. Many times our hands and fingers are the first to feel the pain. On that particular day, I had another race coming up and nothing to cover my blister. Usually I bring bandage tape with me, but I had left it at home. A rower from another team passed by and noticed I was in pain. He saw my hand and offered to give me the rest of his tape. I was so blown away by his kindness and the fact that he gave me all he had left, I almost forgot to say thank you. It moved me deeply and made me wonder—would I have done the same thing for a stranger? Especially a stranger on a rival team?

From that moment on, I think about how I can spread kindness on a daily basis. Maybe it’s something as simple as opening a door for someone or offering your seat to someone that needs it more than you do. You never know, you might make someone you’ve never met feel good, and in turn, they’ll pass along that kindness.

In friendship,

Ben Haworth

YLC Member, California