Kindness is Sweet

 

This week I interviewed a friend of mine who just lost her sweet baby boy to stillbirth. I’ll be writing his story for her, and I listened for almost two hours as she shared about her pregnancy, his life, and then his death. We were both worn as she wrapped up the story, but her face glowed while she told me story after story of kindnesses shown to her whole family the day she gave birth and in the days following.

·        * The kindness of the hospital staff who had everything ready to make sure the family could say a full goodbye.

·        *   A nurse who made her a bracelet, and after overhearing my friend say how much her daughter would love it, the nurse made a second one just for her.

·         *  Friends and strangers alike who sent gift cards for food and ice cream for the kids.

·         *  Coworkers who took up a collection to help pay medical and funeral expenses.

In the kindness, she saw the face of God in a time when she was so worn and weary from grief and loss that she needed an extra sense of His nearness.

Though my circumstances aren’t remotely the same, I’ve been the recipient of kindness this week.

·        *   Thinking of you texts from friends

·        *   A kind word on social media

·         *  Prayers to carry me through moments that provided a challenge

Kindness is sweet. And most of the time, it requires so little. It doesn’t have to be elaborate in display. It really is the thought that counts the most. After all, don’t we just want to know we’re seen and not forgotten?

Today isn’t any sort of official kindness holiday, but what if we stepped out of our way today to show kindness to even one person? Whose day can you sweeten with a little kindness today?