I was at a funeral for a lovely elderly gentleman in our local community. The church was packed and we heard stories from his life. What struck me most as I listened was that he encapsulated everything that I value in life. He was gentle in character and incredibly kind.

Kindness is a value that is often overlooked, but my experience of spending time with people who are naturally kind is that they bring a positivity to situations. I genuinely believe that kindness is a powerful influence for change. If we simply put the word kindness into a search engine we find beautiful stories of the effect random acts of kindness have had on people.

There is a generosity that accompanies kindness. It’s as if the person extending the act of kindness is saying that I matter and I believe them, if only for that brief moment. I am included in their world and mine is enriched. I have experienced healing as well as encouragement from those generous and kind people that I have been privileged to encounter. I believe in myself just that little bit more and find that I become slightly braver and more confident.

This short post is my simple response to the stories of kindness I heard shared about a gentle soul. As I listened to the tributes to my elderly friend, I found myself resolving to be more like him.