Quotable You: “Kindness Can Outdistance Meanness”

Like many (most?) people (see twitter, facebook, etc) I like to find and collect quotes, bits of words, that speak to me in a time and place I recognize.  Whether the words take me to the past, the future or meet me firmly in the now, they become quotable because they strike a chord, answer a need, or speak a truth that I don’t want to forget.

Traditionally these words come from famous people.  Because, somehow, when someone famous speaks we immediately think they have more wisdom, more insight, more eloquence than you or I.  But recently I realized that I haven’t been sharing some of the best stuff in my collection.  The words I see everyday on blogs written by the non-famous that are every bit as wise, insightful and beautifully expressed.

They are words that enrich my day and remind me of what is really important in life.  But most importantly, they are words that remind me that I’m not alone.  They connect me to fellow travelers in life.  And it dawned on me that others may not yet know of these wonderful quotes and may want to become connected with these fellow travelers too.

So here is a quote I found, from a not yet famous person, that eloquently speaks to one of my deepest beliefs that — every act of kindness matters.  It has power.  It creates change.  It is necessary.

KINDNESS CAN OUTDISTANCE MEANNESS

“We don’t know where
kindness will take us.

We don’t know where
it will take the person
to whom we’re being kind.

Each act of kindness
is only the first skipping of a stone,
but if we all pass that forward —
if we keep the stone skipping —

I know kindness can outdistance meanness.”

Karen Ballum, KINDNESS MATTERS. ALWAYS. posted at SassyMonkey

Please read Karen’s full post – KINDNESS MATTERS. ALWAYS.  It is beautifully written from beginning to end.

*****

KAREN BALLUM

a.k.a. SassyMonkey

Writer, blogger, community monitor
Runner, reader, crafter, meal planner

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