In her book Every Day Spirit, Mary Davis writes, “kindness has the power to change things, even to transform something dark and sad into something filled with light.”

Mary illustrates this point by introducing us to Jamie and Matt—parents who experienced a tragic loss when their twin boys Reed and Spencer were delivered stillborn. On the first anniversary of the twins’ death, they asked family and friends to mark the day by doing an act of kindness. Jamie said, “We took something that was unspeakably horrible and turned it into something beautiful. We reclaimed the day.”

This story reminds us of the multiplying effect of spreading kindness. Jamie and Matt sparked a wave of kindness that spread far and wide. For years, they have celebrated #ReedandSpencer Day and asked people to post their acts of kindness on Jamie’s Facebook page, creating a positive ripple effect.

So, today, I encourage us to consider: how might we harness the power of kindness?

Here are a few ideas:

1. Visit or call elderly family members or friends, thanking them for the wisdom and experiences they’ve shared with you.
   
2. Let someone go ahead of you in line, especially if they have fewer items or seem to be in a rush.
   
3. Think of someone who is going through a tough time and leave them an encouraging note on their car windshield to let them know you are thinking about them.

For more ideas on how to spread care and kindness, you can check our post with 55 small acts of kindness.