Earlier this week in a lecture for my Environmental Planning course, we were talking about how different countries are organized and structured differently from what we see here in the United States. As a side note, my professor commented that he’s traveled to about forty other countries and his favorite place is Ghana- a country in Africa. Upon hearing this, a few of us were intrigued as to why. In response, my professor simply said “they have nothing, but they give you everything. They give you a smile, a greeting, a handshake, a hug, respect, and love.”
In order for us, as students in America, to truly visualize and grasp what such kindness looked like, my professor offered a scenario that we’d be able to understand. He told us that prior to this class, he was organizing photos of his trip from Ghana and was thinking of the ceaseless kindness and generosity he received there. As an experiment, he went out onto our campus quad and walked around the perimeter of the quad once, smiling and saying “hello” to everyone he passed. Not one person responded. Instead, they pulled out their phones, turned their heads, walked faster, or just ignored him entirely.
For so long, I’ve heard the saying of “it’s the little things that matter the most”, but after hearing this story, I started to understand these words a bit more. I suddenly realized that you don’t have to be rich to make someone else smile. You don’t have to be an authority figure to lend someone a hand. You don’t have to make the world a better place all at once, but if you have the desire, commitment, and the heart, then you can make the world better for one person- something that your recipient will probably remember for a while.
Perhaps if we all took the time to spread generosity, care, and love to each other, then we wouldn’t have to travel to Ghana to witness an act of pristine, untouched, natural beauty.
The thing about gifting kindness is that there’s so many ways to do it. The next time you find yourself in a drive-thru, pay it forward. After a long work week, surprise your mom with her favorite Starbucks drink. Cook dinner one night so that your dad can have a night off- give him a ticket to a bit of relaxation. Help your sister with her Geometry or Chemistry homework. Buy a meal for a homeless person. When you’re walking through a store and see something that reminds you of a good friend, buy it for them, even if you’re hundreds of miles away. They’ll appreciate the thought more than you’ll probably realize. If you see someone sitting or standing alone, looking sad, talk to him/her- you may be the only one who does. Take the extra few seconds to hold the door open for someone. If you see your mail carrier, give him/her a bottle of water- especially at this time of the year, it’s hot outside in some places. When class is nearing the end, wait until the professor stops talking before packing up. It may mean you’re the last one to leave, but at least you’re showing respect. If you know someone struggling in one of your classes, volunteer to help them. If for some reason you can’t do anything else, then at least wear a smile- no outfit, regardless of how stylish, is complete without it. Even more important, though, a smile is a universal sign of kindness- the only true way of climbing the ladder to success.
Changing our American culture isn’t going to happen overnight, but a few small steps in the right direction is better than standing still and doing nothing. Try to show a genuine act of kindness towards someone who is in need of one; to someone who is struggling through life; to someone who may never be able to repay you back. Remember, kindness is the language which the blind can see and the deaf can hear. To someone who may have had a day’s rough start, there’s nothing that’s more valuable than the words and touch of a golden, kind, and loving heart.
