It’s time for a season of peace and kindness
By Kevin Smith
The Urgency of Kindness
Kindness transcends politics. As humanity’s greatest asset, it bridges even the greatest of divides. Now, more than ever, it’s necessary for Kindness to be top of mind in the choices we make.
Recent events remind us that the precious gift of life can change in a blink of an eye…or the turn of a cheek. Although many live as if they will live forever, we will not. What will be our legacy?
We were each born with a purpose. Not one more minute must be wasted in comfort-seeking and selfishness. The current times demand of us more.
Celebrating Kindness on a Global Scale
Although we have days, weeks, and even months that commemorate far less, we must do more to recognize and celebrate something far greater. Kindness is the universal language everyone understands. It’s long overdue that we celebrate it more broadly and prominently.
So let’s formally recognize Kindness Week Worldwide in every community, county, state, and country in the world.
There is NO reason not to, but EVERY reason we must. It’s time for ACTION, not complacency. When time is of the essence there is no time for excuses.
Taking Action for Kindness Week Worldwide
A draft proclamation and tool kits with ample resources for bringing this meaningful week to every community are readily available at www.kindnessworldwide.org. It’s so simple for any mayor, governor, or other elected official to adopt with a mere stroke of a pen. So do it. Now.
What occurred in York, PA, and nearby communities during the inaugural celebration of Kindness Week Worldwide last November was absolutely magical. If it can happen here, it can happen anywhere and everywhere. It merely took a seed that, once planted, organically took root and blossomed in the most beautiful of ways to bring people and communities together.
Kindness Week Worldwide ‘24 is November 9-16 – immediately after the U.S. Presidential election. Kindness and civility will be essential.
We must insist upon Kindness NOW in order for it to manifest then.
It’s time for a season of Peace and Kindness. It’s time to embrace Kindness, Worldwide.
Kevin Smith is the founder of Kindness Worldwide Inc, a global nonprofit organization with a vision “to create a culture of kindness in communities throughout the world” that was inspired by an act of kindness between two strangers on Good Friday morning 2023. He will be delivering keynote remarks at the 11th General Assembly of The World Kindness Movement in Palermo, Italy October 17 – 20. The World Kindness Movement is the premier global body of Kindness that officially organized in Tokyo, Japan in 1997 and subsequently launched the annual celebration of World Kindness Day.
Kevin Smithhttps://www.kindnessworldwide.org/
Shaped by the values of his upbringing, Kevin Smith’s guiding principle is his conviction that “the meaning of life is to live it in a way to make a meaningful difference.” Upon graduating with distinguished honors from Gettysburg College in 1989, Kevin joined a Fortune 500 company and rose its corporate ranks to become Director of its largest business unit. Soon after this promotion, he walked away and left a promising corporate career behind. Instead, in 2001 he found greater meaning and purpose by founding what is now Smith Wealth Advisory Group – dedicated to helping others experience the riches of life itself by translating their monetary resources into meaningful life experiences. On Good Friday morning 2023, fate and circumstances intervened when a lost wallet was returned to him by a Good Samaritan within moments after he discovered it was missing. Kevin’s desire to identify and thank the young woman in a more meaningful way soon became a fascinating adventure of a lifetime, causing a moment to turn into a movement and inspiring him to form the global nonprofit Kindness Worldwide Inc. Launched in November last year, Kindness Worldwide’s vision “to create a culture of kindness in communities throughout the world”, and the story that inspired it, has attracted the attention of prominent leaders and influencers across the globe – including among those in the World Kindness Movement. It has brought new life to Kevin’s belief that “the meaning of life is to live it in a way to make a meaningful difference”, and is his most meaningful pursuit yet. Kevin and his wife Anne of 30 years live in York, PA and are the proud “pet parents” of their 9-year old Bichon Frise “Bella,” an adorable lapful of charm in puffy white clouds of cotton ball hair.