Kindness Is A Superfood

Kindness is a superfood. Berries, nuts and leafy greens can’t compete with the instant boost that being kind gives you. The health benefits of being kind include an ability to lower blood pressure and boost levels of serotonin and dopamine in your brain. I’m surprised doctors don’t include practicing kindness in every prescription.

Yesterday, I washed my hands in the bathroom of a medical building, waving one hand under the soap dispenser and another back and forth below the faucet. Focusing on the challenge of 21st century hand washing, I barely noticed the woman standing beside me. When she said, “Good morning,” I was confused. People don’t talk to each other in public bathrooms. As I walked out into the empty hall, I experienced a full body feeling of joy. “Good morning,” meant that I still had a community.

The kind and simple phrase made me hopeful, too. Maybe everything the Little Prince believed is true. You can grow flowers on a barren planet. We can live in communities where kindness is a daily practice.

Expressions of kindness are not the norm now. You can sit inches from someone on a plane and not exchange a word. People in need are not our problem.

Fortunately, little acts of kindness are easy. Those small gestures we share in the gray wash of our routines. Offering your place in line, sharing a heartfelt compliment, or smiling at a stranger, all make you feel good. There are the angels who elevate kindness, too. My neighbor Lynn drops off cookies for no reason. Meredith, who sprinkles kindness everywhere, makes dinner for her elderly neighbor every night. My friend Kathy always has the kindest words to share.

The supermarket is my kindness ecosystem. It’s my favorite place to be kind, and it’s easy. I can offer my place in line, navigate the aisles with consideration, thank employees, and chit chat with a senior citizen. Every interaction is a boost. I’ve learned that the people who work at the Publix, where we shop, are exceptionally kind. They help you without hesitation.

Ultimately, kindness is an expression of love in action. It is holy. Jack Kerouac said, ” “Practice kindness all day to everybody and you will realize you’re already in heaven now.”