Good News: These World Kindness Day moments show that kindness matters
On Sunday, World Kindness Day will be recognized in countries all over the world as it is each year on November 13. It was created by the World Kindness Movement, a nonprofit organization with the mission to "inspire individuals and connect nations to create a kinder world."
But you don't need an excuse like a global holiday to be kind. Every day, people find big and small ways to show appreciation, spread joy, or just do something nice for someone else. Oftentimes, these acts of kindness go unnoticed or under-appreciated. But every once in a while, these good deeds end up inspiring thousands, or even millions online.
Here are six of the best kind acts that truly inspired us this year:
6. A cop's kindness makes a senior's day
Officer Lance Hofmeister of the Murfreesboro Police Department in Tennessee was driving down the highway when he spotted a senior citizen walking alongside the road.
It turned out 84-year-old Elizabeth Goode was en route to a hair appointment a mile from her bus stop. The officer escorted her the rest of the way and made sure she had a ride home.
5. Nurse braids hair for patients on her days off
On her days off, ER nurse Brooke Johns returns to Southern Hills Hospital in Las Vegas, where she works to pamper patients who are going through some tough times – from post-op recovery to respiratory problems. She brushes and braids their hair without ever glancing at the clock. And all for free.
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4. Neighborhood kids teach boy how to ride his bike
Kids can be kind too! Clarksville, TN mom, Tambria Currie, was moved when she saw what the kids in her neighborhood were doing for her son, Mykel. The young boys had joined forces to teach him how to ride his bike.
3. Strangers come to the rescue of sisters who lost their mom
After losing their mom to cancer, Chloe Sexton adopted her little sister Charlotte. When that happened, Charlotte was about to turn eight. It was not only going to be her first birthday party ever but the first birthday without their mother. Chloe posted a video of her frustration while trying to give Charlotte a party she would never forget. The plea went viral, and her community rallied together around the sisters to help.
2. Baseball team salutes opponent's amazing return
After a life-threatening head injury on a baseball field in West Virginia, 14-year-old Weston Mazey endured a grueling recovery process. But he amazed everyone by getting back to the game he loves well ahead of schedule. And for his first at-bat, the opposing team gave him a touching welcome back.
1. Man turns his hobby into a kindness empire
After being laid off during the pandemic, Brian Schwartz offered to mow the lawns of seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities free of charge. His good deed quickly snowballed into something he never expected.
If you'd like to share positivity with the world, we'd love your help! Humankind from USA TODAY tells uplifting stories about kindness, triumphs, and special relationships. We wouldn't be able to show the world all this kindness if it weren't for people like you who capture kind moments on camera!
If you have a video, photo, or even a story you want to share, click the link below to tell us all about it. Someone from the Humankind team will reach out to you if we want to do a story about your kind moment.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: World Kindness Day 2022: 6 of the best acts of kindness this year
