Today, November 13, is World Kindness Day.
Mark Twain once said, “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” It is something distinguishable, beautiful and just warms the soul. It is a quality I believe all of my nursing colleagues encompass. And all of us will be patients one day; I hope future nurses will have this trait, too.
In reflecting on kindness, I witnessed true kindness by a MSN (Entry into Nursing) graduate. As I drove home, I saw them pushing a homeless person in a wheelchair across the street. They appeared to be talking and smiling at one another. My heart smiled. I later found out that the graduate was taking the wheelchair-bound person to the Emergency Department. A small act of kindness, but would just anyone stop and help?
I cannot answer that question. But I do believe that most people in the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing community would help someone in need. I think Amelia Earhart said it best: “A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” In closing, as we journey through World Kindness Day, consider starting that root!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Krysia Hudson, DNP, RN, BC, is an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. She is s a leader in informatics practice and education, a cutting-edge technology that combines information technology and nursing knowledge to benefit both clinical practice and nursing education.