PRACTICE RANDOM KINDNESS ALL YEAR LONG

In a world of crime and cruelty, kindness is like a breath of fresh air. That is what makes Random Acts of Kindness Week so special. Today wraps up the third annual observance in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

The kindnesses have been spread over a wide region. Residents of seven Missouri counties participated: Cape Girardeau, Perry, Scott, Bollinger, Stoddard, Mississippi and New Madrid along with Alexander County in Illinois.

The Southeast Missourian turned into Kindness Central, handing out more than 22,000 kindness stickers and publishing dozens upon dozens of kindness hotline calls. Churches, businesses, schools and organizations all jumped upon the kindness bandwagon.

The stories of kindnesses performed during the week were heart-warming. Senior citizens baked cupcakes for a nearby day-care centers. Kindergarteners delivered flowers to shut-ins. Working people took time out of their day to deliver Meals on Wheels or help school children. Police officers issuing kindness warnings instead of tickets.

The list goes on and on. People helped people they knew and complete strangers. Many performed the kind acts anonymously, wishing no thanks other than the good feeling of helping others.

What could be better than this?

Just this: What if this Random Acts of Kindness Week became Random Acts of Kindness Year.

What if people every day practiced the Golden Rule: Do onto others as you would have them do onto you? What if everyone followed that wise adage: If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all?

A number of kindness programs have already expanded beyond the bounds of a single week. For example, at North Elementary School in Fruitland, kind acts of students are recognized throughout the year with a "Star Jar."

There is nothing wrong with singling out a week to build kindness awareness. But there's nothing to say that kindness should be limited to one week in May.

It is said that a new habit is formed in just 21 days. With one week under our belt, let the kindness continue.

If kindness were the rule rather than the exception, Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois would become an oasis from a scandal-weary world. What a tourist attraction that would be. Let kindness be our guide as we approach the weeks and months ahead.

A kinder, gentler world? Anything's possible, and it all begins with one small kindness from you.