So way back when, maybe after the wars, 1950s it is recognised that people knew their neighbours and communities in towns rallied to support each other. I’m of course not old enough to remember this but I have been told about it and do remember as a child spending time in and out of the local elderly houses inviting myself in for tea or having to take something my mother had sent me down to them with.
When I was around 5, so in 1985, I’ll let you do the maths, I use to each year go to do the carnival and enter the fancy dress competition. The recreation ground was two football pitches big and the grounds would be filled with children all hoping to win a prize. First, second, third and all different age groups and categories. To win a place was a nerve wracking experience and not a sure thing. It was the buzz of community, people spent time making the costumes with their children and it was discussed in the weeks coming up.
Fast forward to today. They have moved it to an area in the town that is not even a half a football pitch and I counted about 10 children enter last year and they were from surrounding towns.
My point and while this is only one example, in so many towns where there was a sense of community and interaction there is now not. Those towns that still have it are working hard to keep it, it is not the natural way we tend to interact.
Our social interaction is likely decreased due to the change in the way we communicate through mobiles, social media and the internet. Going from four TV channels to in the 100s of channels we now have instant access to, computer games and so on. We do less and watch more.
It is more challenging therefore to be kind. Kindness is much easier to a person we have seen a few times, the neighbour we are already familiar with. When we don’t have those connections, it is more challenging to approach the person we don’t know.
So when I say it is more important to be kind nowadays, it is because if we are to build connections and communities once again, it is imperative we also build up our kindness to others. Ensuring that we have social awareness, support our local events and the people who live in our communities.
Did you know that the act of being kind actually releases the happy hormone 'Oxytocin' into your blood stream. It also happens through hugs too, so if you aren’t getting enough hugs, go be kind instead.
Subsequently our need to consciously ensure that kindness stays at the forefront of our actions is key.
If you are an advocate for kindness why not take a look at my cause Sunshine People. sunshinepeople.org.uk