Suzanne Askham

Wellbeing notes: Reflections on kindness

A mother was sitting in Abbey Square, in Bath UK, with her disabled son beside her. A stranger approached them both, smiled at the teenager in his wheelchair, then offered his mother a bunch of colourful, fragrant flowers. “For you,” said the stranger, “Because of all that you do for your son.” And then she walked away.

The mother was me. The incident happened many years ago, but I still remember it and probably always will. Kindness is like that, isn’t it? Heartwarming, unconditional, and memorable. 

World Kindness Day falls on Wednesday 13 November. The date is an invitation to create thoughtful acts in our community and further afield, and to celebrate kindness in everyday life. If you would like to learn more about this annual event, you can go to Kindness UK for ideas and perhaps to pledge action.

Practising compassion towards others and ourselves has been described as an innate aspect of human nature, that flourishes with encouragement. In 2020 the Mental Health Foundation together with YouGov conducted an online survey with over 4,000 adults. The survey found that both being kind and receiving kindness are widely linked with improved mental health. 

Many people find that being considerate and caring can make us happy. Think of a genuine compliment you gave, that made someone’s face light up. A gift you offered without expectation of anything in return. A donation to a cause that will directly help disadvantaged people. Even if we can’t solve all the world’s problems, we can always create moments of kindness.