RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS: PAIR CHALLENGES COMMUNITY TO REWARD KINDNESS IN TANGIBLE WAY TO CREATE A RIPPLE EFFECT

Kindness is seen as an act of the heart. That's really a misnomer.

Dr. Scott Gibbs, local brain surgeon, says it is an act of the mind.

"Our capacity, empathy and compassion are brain functions," he said. The brain is born with these functions in varying degrees, but kindness is also very much a learned behavior.

Gibbs and Larry Clark, who directs the honors program at Southeast Missouri State University, are hoping to encourage a ripple effect during Random Acts of Kindness Week.

Gibbs wants to be a pebble that is dropped in the pond. As a way to encourage more kindness, he is challenging individuals, groups and businesses to look at the kind things done in the community this week and extend a kindness to others.

"If you see something that moves you, we ask that people respond in a kind way," said Gibbs. "It could be in the form of a gift to that individual or group or some other gesture of kindness."

Gibbs plans to study the calls made to the Kindness Hotline, which will be published in the Southeast Missourian this week and to read the stories of kindness. He plans to pick one individual or class of students from the listings of kind acts and award them a brand new computer system, complete with processor, monitor and printer.

If other businesses or individuals do similar acts, Gibbs is hoping the result will be a chain of kindness that will continue well beyond this single week.

"The ripple effect may be felt years from now," he said.

Gibbs' interest comes from his practice, where he deals with people who suffer from devastating health problems. It provides a perspective for those who feel problems such as lack of time or money are overwhelming.

For patients who can't afford to pay for medical care, Gibbs will ask them on their last visit to return the favor to someone else.

Clark feels that individuals can help spread the kindness movement, which was begun by Will Glennon and his small publishing company in California.

Glennon, also known as "Dr. Kindness" will be in Cape Girardeau Saturday at the Westfield Shoppingtown West Park to talk about kindness. The rally will begin at 6 p.m. and the public is invited to attend. Glennon is chairman of the national Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, which is headquartered in Denver, Colo.

Clark has been collaborating with Gibbs on an education study about brain and behavior relations.

He learned to appreciate everyday miracles when his oldest daughter was injured in a horse riding accident and suffered a serious brain injury. "We nearly lost her," said Clark. But she has recovered almost back to her health before the accident.

"It really makes you appreciate the abilities and abundant resources we have," said Clark.

Clark and Gibbs hope the class or individual who receives the new computer system will use it in an educational way or even for some acts of kindness.

Clark said, "We learn from one another how to be kind."

Gibbs hopes that acts performed throughout the week will provide an inspiration for future kindness. In that way, random acts of kindness can become a yearround habit, he said.