My daughter wants me to run a half-marathon with her. Not just any race, she wants to run the Walt Disney World half marathon. I suppose since she’s 13, she will want me to pay for it too.
It all sounds a little goofy to me. (I’m sorry. I just couldn’t resist.)
I told her that as a 42-year-old non-runner, there ... Read More
When we talk about feeding the hungry, we usually talk about feeding people who literally don’t have enough to eat. There are kids in my area who grab a bag of chips from the convenience store because it’s cheaper than buying a sandwich and an apple. It’s also cheaper than paying for the school lunch if they don’t quite qualify ... Read More
If I were left to my own devices, there is no way you would be reading this kindness column right now.
I know nothing about printing a newspaper or scheduling delivery routes. I know even less about how the internet works and how to get the newspaper on a home computer.
The only way I’m able to get out this message of ... Read More
When I think about the very first acts of kindness I can recall, I think about my mom. I remember her teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in our small town. How scary it must have been for her students to move to a new country and not know how to communicate. My mom felt their apprehension and gave ... Read More
It’s the question that guides most of my parenting decisions: Am I teaching my kids to be kind? I don’t want them to be doormats or people who bend to the will of others even when it’s dangerous or unhealthy. But I do hope they find a good balance in life and lead with kindness whenever it’s possible.
The truth is, ... Read More
I got to spend the last week traveling around the state of Wisconsin talking about my favorite thing: kindness.
Unfortunately, going from small town to small town meant I had to do a lot of my least favorite thing: driving.
I was feeling too frugal to spend the extra $5 on cruise control for my rental car, so for eight days, I ... Read More
Anytime is a good time for kindness, but receiving it is especially sweet when you feel like you’ve got nothing left to give.
Proud dad, Scott Wright, who lives near the Wisconsin/Iowa border, and his wife still remember one particular act of kindness that came when they needed it most.
“Rewind in time. It’s May 18, 2000. My wife is 27 weeks ... Read More
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Only what if it wasn’t meant to be trash in the first place? Is it then called finders keepers? Not when kindness is involved.
A woman in Ohio named Jessica was doing a little de-cluttering when she mistakenly put her daughters’ savings bonds and some family photos into the recycling pile. She hadn’t even ... Read More
I was walking through Walmart the other day watching parents and their college students prepare for a new chapter in their lives. It occurred to me in the middle of the toothpaste aisle that it doesn’t matter if your kid is going into kindergarten or college, letting them go is hard.
We have to trust that the world will be good ... Read More
When Mr. Rogers was a boy and terrible things would happen around the world, his mom would tell him to look for the helpers. Instead of focusing on the destruction, she encouraged him to look for the good — for those people who were moving forward in kindness.
Fred Rogers took that message with him into adulthood where he shared it ... Read More
