November 13th is World Kindness Day

One kind word can warm three winter months.  -Japanese Proverb

World Kindness Day is a day to focus on doing good in your community, being compassionate, and making the world a better place.  Together we can make this the nicest day of the year!

There are lots of ways to celebrate kindness on Friday, November 13th.  One example is to research some inspirational quotes to share through the Library catalog.  Just go to our website and search for "quotations" under the Books & Media tab.

Want to do more than that?  Try some of these other kind acts...

• Cook a meal for a friend or family.  (Cookbooks are also available through the Library catalog, both as physical books and ebooks.)
• Smile at everyone.
• Be extra friendly to the cashier at the store.  If you want to go the extra mile, buy them a coffee or candy bar to help them get through their work shift.
• Compliment a stranger.
• Hand-write an appreciative note or letter to somebody who has impacted your life in a positive way.
• Send somebody flowers.
• Remember that inspirational quote you looked up?  Share that with a friend or on social media.
• Leave quarters in a vending machine or washing machine for the next person.
• Tell a random parent you see that they're doing a good job.
• Visit a nursing home and chat with anyone who looks lonely.
• Buy dessert for a stranger at a restaurant.  (Ask the server to charge you, but deliver it to a different table.)
• Send a care package to a soldier, missionary, or college student away from home.

If you want an extra challenge, keep quiet about your good deeds.  It's tempting to detail that good deed you did on social media, so all your friends know how thoughtful you are.  But share that inspirational quote you researched instead, or simply say, "I did a kind thing today."  After all, the idea behind doing kind things is to make the recipient feel good, not humblebrag to your friends.

Keep these kind acts in mind throughout the winter months.  Many people struggle with the colder weather and shorter daylight hours, and a kind word or thoughtful gesture can really make a big difference.  More information is available here from the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.