For Children, Kindness Is Impulsive

--by Yanne, posted Jun 17, 2010

Yesterday while I was busy doing my housework, my daughter ran up to me and said, "Mommy there's someone at the gate." I told her to ask who it was. It was an old man beggar. I heard my daughter yelling, "Mommy he wants money." For a second I ignored her, but then it hit me what she just said.

I found my daughter taking out money from her Dad's wallet. Instead of stopping her, I stood there amazed at her action and the realization: kids give without hesitation and their kindness is impulsive.

Then I murmured a little prayer to myself, "God, let my kids never outgrow such a value and let that value grow on us adults."

Sure, we all want to do kindness acts as much as we can, but let's also be honest -- how many times have we acted on it in reality? How many times have we restrained ourselves from being kind? How many times have we chosen only to be kind to some?

As I witnessed yesterday, kindness and generosity requires no thought. Kindness should be impulsive, when you feel it, act on it at that very moment.

I know it might sound impossible to be kind all the time, to not think twice, to hold back because in our minds we think kindness should be given to those who deserve it and need it.

But really, who deserves and needs kindness?

WE ALL DO. THE WHOLE WORLD DOES.

"No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves." ~AMELIA EARHART

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Posted by Yanne
Jun 17, 2010
Comments (15)

Readers Comments

Rajni wrote: Beautifully written. It will definitely inspire others not to miss kind act opportunities. We all have learned in school about a wise proverb " Procrastination is a thief of time" it is the time to bring this in our everyday life and never quit or distracted when kind opportunities arise. Thanks for sharing.

Zevelina wrote: We all do. The whole world does. = you are so right!

Ashfaq wrote: God will gited you
Very very thanks for all your good works

saba wrote: I wish we are as impulsive in kindness as kids are!

Too much of reasons & logic overshadows our emotions & feelings that's y we close our eyes to all such kind gestures.

tcsgirl wrote: I love this innocence. A need is made known to a child and the child simply "fixes" it.

A cute flip of this story is when my son ran into the room the other day and innocently but with an air of expectancy exclaimed "does anyone in here have $100? "

I wish life could be so simple.

bc wrote: To iferlamb, keep free from debt and live below your means, as we do, and you too can give like a child.

Aurelia wrote: Your child has learned well from you. Thanks for letting her give! :)
~aurelia

success wrote: Wow! Unfortunately, i think that if that had happened with me, i would've told my son that while what he did was kind, he just can't make a habit of touching his parent's money and giving it to anyone who knocks on the door.

blessed66 wrote: Thank you, for reminding me that kindness and generosity should be inpulsive. We all need it

iferlamb wrote: It is beautiful, the innocence of children. Since they are free from the burden of obligations like paying the rent/mortgage and buying food and such they can give without worry.

As adults many of us having the giving hearts of children but also the worry of paying the bills.

If we keep the giving spirit and use balance, do what we can while keeping ourselves in a position where we can continue to help others then we retain our childlike spirit of giving from the heart.

Thank you for sharing this beautiful story.

Smiles.

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