There are countless people struggling with depression, abuse, trauma, bullying, sadness, loss and on and on in our world today. Some people have few friends and are the butt of many jokes. Others have many friends and are being abused at the hands of loved ones, neighbors or trusted adults. Many of these same people struggle in silence. They take the teasing, suffer through the abuse, cringe at the bullying and quietly sit with themselves through the isolation. We never know what’s going on in another person’s life—behind their smiles, beneath their façade.
It’s easy to not notice the quiet ones, make fun of the awkward ones, silently watch the bullies bully and go about your day. No one will fault anyone for not going out of their way to say hello, smile or say a kind word to someone they don’t normally communicate with. It’s takes little effort to look away, it’s common to walk past and it’s understandable to not go out of one’s way to be a bright light in someone else’s day.
Just because it’s understandable though to not “see” the plight that others may be going through, doesn’t mean it’s a good thing. Take the time to see another’s struggle, to pay attention to someone who is often invisible to those around him or her and to step in when you know a person could really use someone standing up for him or her. Be the community member you wish you were surrounded by. Be the friend you wish you had, the encourager you always wanted and the human being you wish the entire world was filled with.
• Smile at the people you pass by—it may be the only smile in a person’s day.
• Invite the kid that no one invites—and talk to him/her when s/he arrives.
• Don’t make anyone the butt of your jokes or sit back while others make them the butt of theirs—step in.
• Start talking to the quiet ones and get to know them—you may be surprised by how much they have to say.
• Don’t join in with the teasing—stop it.
• Give the kindness to others that you wish others would give to you.
Life can be hard sometimes. Do your part to make it a little easier for some of the people who have it the hardest. Your kindness could be the difference in another person’s life. Make a difference.
Challenge: Go out of your way to smile to a stranger, pay attention to the quiet ones and be kind to those who are not treated kindly. Be inclusive not exclusive and be proud of yourself for making a difference—because these things DO make a difference.