The Joy That Kindness Brings
Kindness is powerful. It is a skill to create allies and build relationships. It has the power to change someone’s mood, someone’s day or even change someone’s life.
My name is Zoe Nunn and I am 15 years old. Even with my limited life experience, I am beginning to understand how important kindness is to me as a teenager. I often reflect on key examples of kindness that I have experienced, and how it has, and continues to impact my life.
As with many people, my first experiences of true kindness started at home. My most memorable experiences of kindness come from, as you would expect, my parents. It is an understatement to say that I love to keep myself busy. I have a number of activities I invest my time in, most notably hockey, rowing, surf lifesaving and guitar. Additionally, I try to participate in as many opportunities as I can both though school and through my broader community. I can say with confidence that I would not be able to do what I do without my constant support, involvement and the overall kindness of my parents. They support me in whatever I want to do and give me the tools I need to succeed. This type of kindness is wonderful as it is sacrificing and supporting at the same time, and they remain great kindness role models for me.
My parents kindness and support extends well beyond our front gate; they have always taught us by example, to support others who need a helping hand. My parents, through their example, expose my younger brother and I to a range of philanthropic endeavours. Over recent years, my younger brother and I have been getting involved with a number of not-for-profit organisations that are founded in South Australia and we are learning that the donation of time and effort makes both us, and the people we assist, feel great. It is this feeling and the joy that kindness brings to all involved that makes you want to keep being involved.
Working with these not-for-profit organisations and seeing first hand the happiness and relief that a kind supporting hand can provide, is amazing and really teaches us - knowing how much kindness can change people’s lives. I feel that just being involved, means you’re thinking about others, and I think this is the basis of kindness - thinking about others.
Kindness spreads. Whether they be ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ or more structured/strategic kindness, all forms of kindness spreads. I think that perhaps selfishly, that is because of the way it makes us feel to receive kindness, but also how if makes us feel to actually be the kindness giver. I’m not sure if its endorphins or other feel good hormones, but the act of giving and receiving kindness is one of those rare engagements that all people involved in the act of kindness are infected with general feeling of happiness. At the end of the day – isn’t that what we all want – to feel happy and have happy people around us!
Zoe Nunn - March 2020
