Kindness Candy

We’ve all experienced random acts of kindness from people–some bigger and some smaller. They all, however, made us feel appreciated and warmed our hearts. I have one such story.

 A few months ago, I got my first job. I work with a relatively small group of people, all of which are extremely helpful and amiable. There is one person I work with the most, however. During every shift, she buys candy and shares it with me, since she knows that I certainly have a sweet tooth. She often offers to make me food when we’re working together. But one day, she bought gummy bears and offered for me to have some. I did, after which I went about doing the rest of the chores for my shift. At the end of the day we said bye to each other and went home. The next day, however, when I opened my small backpack that I carry to work, I found the pack of gummy bears that my coworker had bought the night before. At first I was confused–even thought I had accidentally taken them home–but then I realized that my coworker had placed them in my bag on purpose, knowing that I would definitely enjoy them. The next day I told her that I had found the candy and that it had brightened my day.

To this day, my coworker occasionally places candy in my bag when I’m not watching, adding a little brightness to a slow evening at work. Although small, this random act of kindness made a big difference in my day, and you can be that difference in someone’s day as well. 

-Anastasiya Varian, Entertainment Editor

A Nation United in Kindness

Over the past few years, it seems that the empathy of American citizens has begun a downward slope. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has seemed to spark an increase in random acts of kindness that people do everyday to keep others safe. 

An increase in kindness is often observed in times of national distress. After the attacks on 9/11, volunteers stepped up to assist wounded victims and their families. The attack was an assault on our nation and the unity of our people, but the aftermath of the event revealed the best the United States has to offer from her people. Similarly, during the global Covid-19 pandemic many acts of kindness have made the national news, but many have also gone unnoticed. Whether it be a drive-by birthday party celebrated with a honk of a car horn, or simply wearing a mask and remaining socially distant, these acts prove that kindness lies within everyone. 

As the pandemic progresses into 2022, we need unity now more than ever to mend the divisions that have rend our society. Calling loved ones to simply say hello or paying for the next car in a drive-thru are only a couple suggestions of how to take the initiative to be more kind. 

Below is a list of many more opportunities for expressing random acts of kindness. We hope you try a few. Be sure to let The Voice know if you’ve been on the receiving end of one of these acts. The paper would be glad to help you thank someone!

Random Acts of Kindness You Can Do Today:

• Compliment someone
• Wear your mask properly
• Let someone in front of you in line
• Help someone before they ask
• Pay for the person behind you
• Pick up garbage/ litter left behind
• Leave a note or letter for someone to brighten their day
• Thank the workers around you for their hard work (lunch workers, custodians, bus driver…)
• Donate to a cause you care about
• Smile at people you pass
• Tell someone how much you appreciate them
• Call or text a friend or family member to let them know you’re thinking about them
• Donate old clothes or things you don’t need 
• Visit these websites for more ideas: (https://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/100-acts-kindness-kids/)(https://www.skilledatlife.com/70-simple-random-acts-of-kindness-you-can-do-every-day/)

Pass Out Kindness

Handing out compliments and doing small favors for anyone, even strangers, is one of the best ways to improve someone else’s attitude, but it can also boost your own. Although kindness should be a natural inclination for everyone every day, today it’s of more importance to show the kinder side of yourself. Kindness is one of the easiest things to gift—it’s free, and it requires little to no effort. You never know when someone is having a difficult time, and maybe giving a sliver of effort to put a smile on their face will make all the difference.

Your actions don’t need to include paying for anything or volunteering. They can be as simple as flashing somebody a smile, complimenting an outfit, or making space in the hallway for them to pass by. You can put in a little extra effort to make your friends laugh, you can wish your teachers a good day, and you can lend a hand to those struggling with an assignment. If you’re feeling up to it, you can even let people pass you in line or offer them a little extra change if they come up short. 

None of these acts are difficult to accomplish, but even the smallest of them can immensely improve someone’s day. There have been times where I’ve received compliments on my outfit that even today I think about, since I genuinely appreciate the kindness from those around me, and it really boosts my self esteem. You never know when people think they’re having a bad hair day, and maybe giving them a small compliment will change their entire outlook. 

Essentially, kindness isn’t hard to pass out, but it matters infinitely. Even if your day isn’t so bright, making an attempt to improve someone else’s will have mutual benefits. Although your act of kindness seems irrelevant in the long run, it’s incredibly important in improving the environment of the school as a whole and benefiting relationships between students. So, try to be a little kind today.