Last November 13, a new occasion of the so-called International Day of Kindness was celebrated, for me until then a totally unknown event.

Actually, the celebration of this activity worldwide does not date from long ago. According to what I could read, the origin of the idea dates back to 1977 by initiative of the World Kidness Movement (WKM) in the city of Tokyo; however, it is not until 1998 when this organization proclaims it at international level, managing to incorporate activities in the school calendar in some countries.

What is meant by kindness

In simple words, kindness can be understood as "a virtue proper to human beings, characterized by the compassion that people feel, at a given moment, for their fellow human beings and also for animals, always acting for their benefit without any kind of personal interest, simply to make others feel safe, happy and loved". (1)

As the above definition states, acting with kindness is a characteristic of human beings, which gives us a distinction of superiority over other species that inhabit our planet. It is to show empathy towards other forms of life, meaning people, animals and even plants, in such a way that through our selfless actions we produce in them a situation of well-being.

Photo by Paula Palmieri on Unsplash

Now, it is worth asking why some people think it is necessary to celebrate such a natural act, to make it public so that we do not forget the importance of having a kindly behavior towards our fellow human beings and the other forms of life that surround us.

Perhaps this is due to the dehumanization that characterizes contemporary society. The consumption patterns that are projected through the mass media have made us focus more and more on our individual needs, spending less and less time thinking about situations that affect others, such as the unsatisfied basic needs of a large majority of the world's population.

Photo by Rupinder Singh on Unsplash

It's not just about giving people the fish, but teaching them how to fish and support them while they learn. Not to lose sensitivity and to understand that life has its ups and downs, regardless of who we are now, where we live. The basic problem is not about having but about being. It is to think of the individual as the center of our actions to produce well-being in our homes, in the community, in our workplaces, among other spaces.

Welcome this celebration of the International Day of Kindness, although one day of kind acts on our part is not enough.

It is necessary to awaken awareness in ourselves and those around us of the need to build an ever better world with simple acts, day after day.

To develop in us the ability to put ourselves in other people's shoes. To understand their anguish and also their dreams. It is indeed a challenge, a difficult one, but I am sure that we can achieve it.

References:

(1) https://conceptodefinicion.de/bondad/

(2) Photo by Gene Brutty on Unsplash (Lead image)