The Power of Kindness

Tanya Eavenson

I’ve heard it once said, “too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” The words of Leo Buscaglia have echoed in my heart these many years but more so during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s been difficult to watch family, friends, and strangers deal with the hardships of the past year, but one of the methods I’ve learned to combat the outcomes from this virus is with kindness.

There are many ways to show acts of kindness within your community and churches, and today, I will share a few of those.

1) Begin a can drive for your local food bank.

Over this past Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, I invited others to join me in providing canned goods for our local food bank. While we collected only a small amount, every can makes a difference in replenishing the food bank’s resources that many count on for their daily living.  

 

2) Make masks. Buy masks. Give them away.

A fun project I joined others in was a mask giveaway. Granted, I can’t sew a button on a shirt and get it to stay, so mask making was out of the question, but I certainly could buy masks. Those who participated either bought or made masks, then donated them to their local schools. Of course, the homemade masks were a huge hit with all the characters from books and movies, and we were providing a need. Those children’s smiles were priceless!

3) Pick up your phone and call someone.

This is probably the easiest way to show kindness during the COVID-19 outbreak, but it’s also one of the most impactful. A simple phone call brightens someone’s day as well as their outlook.


4) Write a letter.

Until recently, writing letters and sending cards was considered a lost art. With the pandemic, both have made a resurgence. When email and text are options, why bother with pen and paper? It goes back to making that simple contact with a friend, family, or stranger that lets them know they are loved and not forgotten.


5) Help a family with Covid.

I’m speaking from experience when I say, please, help a family sick with the COVID-19 virus. Right after Thanksgiving last year, my son came down with a fever, then my youngest daughter, and it didn’t stop there. I prayed that I would be the last one to get the virus so I could take care of everyone. My prayer was mostly answered. Maybe I should have prayed not to get it, but that’s another post. 😊 By the time I came down with the virus, the kids were on their way to recovery, but my husband was very ill, and I could barely move. I was to the point I couldn’t take care of anyone, even myself.


One afternoon I threw some porkchops and carrots in the crockpot for dinner. Well, I was so sick, I slept most of the day until I was abruptly awakened by my hungry husband hunting food. “It’s in the crockpot,” I told him from my feverish bed.


There’s not much I can say about that meal but to show you the picture. As you can see, my poor husband tried to eat the corner of a pork chop. But shortly after I took this picture, my cell chimed, and someone offered to bring dinner.

“Please,” I almost begged, so thankful my family wouldn’t go hungry because I just couldn’t care for them.


Let me say, for the next week, food and groceries were dropped off on the bench at the front of our house. It still brings tears to my eyes. We were in such need and the kindness of others helped us make it through our experience with COVID.


6) Volunteer.

One of the greatest acts of kindness is volunteerism. Being a part of a community with people from different ethnic groups and backgrounds who come together to serve their neighbors, strangers, as if they are serving themselves. It is a privilege to be the hands and feet of Jesus in a world that needs more kindness than ever.

A genuine smile, a listening ear, and a caring heart are greatly impactful. With simple acts of kindness, we potentially have the power to turn a life around. Let’s remember we do make a difference.

How are you making a difference in the lives around you? 

Have more tips you’d like to share? I’d love to hear them!

Tanya Eavenson is an award-winning Christian romance novelist. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their three children. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee, eating chocolate, and reading a good book. You can find her at her website

http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/ on Facebook, BookBub, Goodreads, or on Amazon.