COVID has been a pandemic that has seen the destruction of life, mental health and the life that people are so familiar. The world changed pretty quickly. Blame and shame have sat at the forefront of attempting to keep people within the rules, with little effect than more shame and blame. It is easy for us to throw a stone but we must be careful that we are selves are not living in a glasshouse.
However, even though the blame and shame stories of kindness shone through. People were talking about getting to know their neighbours. We were shopping for people we have never met. Communities rallied around and sourced a number for people to call if they needed help locally. Society on the whole adapted.
Halloween still went ahead with trick or treaters sanitising their hands and collecting their treats from the end of a pathway instead of on doorsteps. ‘Help Yourself’ signs replaced welcoming smiles from residents.
Trust in many ways grew. We gave more time for others because we had more time.
Some started to stand in the shoes of those who were struggling and realised how easily it could be them. Our worlds changed.
Why kindness matters
Throughout history when you look at any crisis in the world, you will see a rise in the kindness bought about from humankind. There is something about our very makeup that recognises that we cannot survive alone. We need people and so when that is threatened the strongest will try and lift the weakest. Now, of course, don’t get me wrong there will always be the fear that I often talk about that kicks in from some humans. For some, the fear of danger to themselves is so strong they can’t help others first, but in the most part when our backs are up against the wall we see that we are better together than apart.
Kindness will help keep us together
Kindness has grown in the past two years through the research, articles and endless memes and so when Covid hit it was not that far a push for society to move into action. So many people talk now about the tiredness of bad news, and the call to hear more motivating and inspirational stories instead. We are moving into the era of kindness once again that was so often talked about in the 1800s and I for one will look forward to seeing if it can help us own our futures in society.