Being kind sounds like a simple task at best, but in this day and age, the world could definitely use some more of it. What I mean is that being kind and showing emotion shows that you are a capable human and care about the world around you.
The word kindness, according to Oxford Languages, means “the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.”
If I hold open the grocery store door or wait for someone to make it onto the elevator, it may just change someone’s bad day into a better one.
There are also bigger ways to show decency and respect for others, like listening to a friend who needs to vent or just asking if someone is okay.
The more I think about it, the more I see that these kinds of kindness can be intrinsic in nature.
It’s almost like being a kind and good person comes from within, because most of the time, we do things for others without even realizing how it can affect the other person positively.
While I shouldn’t have to remind anyone to be a kind person, this year has truly shown that what we can do for others can actually make a difference.
During the pandemic, I have seen neighbors helping neighbors, getting groceries for the elderly in the community who can’t risk going to stores.
I have seen families traveling just to say hi to their grandma or grandpa through a glass window.
Teachers and friends stopped at my house to leave my brother gifts and yard signs because he couldn’t finish his senior year in the traditional way.
Most importantly, I saw people finding ways to come together, even when seeing each other became difficult.
I spent time during Easter on a Zoom call with family, because even if we couldn’t all be together, we still had to do the “Easter Egg game.”
These acts of kindness, big and small, have made this year bearable at most, and I don’t want people to forget that something so simple actually iimpacts others.
Caitlyn Frolo
With national and local debates over things like the handling of the coronavirus pandemic and this year’s presidential election, the endless negative news and social media posts can be draining.
But the ever-occasional act of kindness can change all of that — and that is the point I am trying to make.
So, next time you are rushing to be somewhere or accomplish a task, take those few extra seconds to hold the door, pick up a dropped book or even pay it forward when you order an iced coffee.
Kindness speaks volumes, and I think in 2020, it is one of the very few things that can bring happiness to us all.
GUEST POST BY: Caitlyn Frolo
Caitlyn Frolo is an opinion columnist for The Daily Collegian. She is a senior studying broadcast journalism with a minor in digital media trends and analytics and a certificate in sports journalism.