Like many, while I shop local as often as I can, I also have a Costco membership, and for some strange reason, I look forward to visiting from time to time, to throw myself into the lion’s den of shoppers, seemingly unaware of the hundreds of shoppers around them charging through the aisles. The funny thing is, for the number of times I’ve been there, I have never witnessed a shopping cart collision. This is not to say it doesn’t happen. Imagine driving your car through the narrowest roads with your gaze firmly planted on nothing other than the bulk pack of red solo cups in front of you….it would be chaos. Is kindness keeping the cart collisions from running rampant?

There was a feeling that things were going to be okay

At the beginning of the pandemic there was an outpouring of kindness, patience, and a willingness to do good. People applauded healthcare workers around the world, and banged pots and pans as they ran to the front lines, while many stayed safe at home. Everyone learned how to smile with their eyes, or “smeyes” as Tyra Banks coined it, as masks covered our usual display of emotion. There was a feeling that things were going to be okay, and we would get through the pandemic together. We still see much of this today, but unfortunately mixed with a generous helping of hate, negativity, and intolerance. This was inevitable as people grew tired of lengthy lockdowns, restrictions, and simply not being able to live normal lives, and even through we have returned much of society to some sort of normalcy, the negativity has lingered. This feeling of frustration and negativity has only been further fuelled by the political divide we see in our governments. I cannot remember a time when political parties in many countries were so divided, rarely agreeing to meet in the middle as they straddle the extreme of the far left or far right. Don’t get me wrong, a healthy dose of opposition is needed in government, and it’s how we ensure we are making the right decisions for the most members of the community, but we see so many cases where any resemblance of working together is overshadowed by political posturing.

Change the course of society through achievable and meaningful changes

I’m a firm believer that we can change the course of society, and not always just through large scale protests or displays of public unrest, but through achievable and meaningful changes that we make individually. Have a voice in your community. Speak to your public officials, and when they don’t listen, speak louder and bring a friend, but make sure your goal is achievable and meaningful. A million achievable goals that have been realized will bring far more change than one outlandish goal that never comes to fruition. I look at climate change with the same lens – taking every single fossil fuel powered car off the road in a matter of years is an “outlandish” goal. But, providing several alternatives, that are attainable and affordable will do far more to get us to our end goal. Back to kindness – small, achievable changes in our lives, including a commitment to kindness will result in noticeable changes in how we live.

Small gestures will leave people with something brighter

While kindness may seem less visible than it was two years ago, it is still there. Keep an eye out for it, spread it, and surround yourself with people that amplify this vision and belief. Kindness spreads, and it’s that spreading that will shape the world we want to live in. Hold the door for a complete stranger, smile or smeyes at them too, and when someone doesn’t return the gesture, remember that we all have bad days, and hopefully your small gestures will leave those people with something brighter in their day as they try to get through it.

Kindness may be harder to find these days, but until I see the shopping carts colliding at Costco, I have to believe there is still lots of it to be found if we look for it.