Each newsletter we will be sharing a virtue that will be the focus in our school over the following three weeks.  

What is Kindness? Kindness is showing you care, doing some good to make life better for others.  It is being thoughtful about people's needs.  Kindness is showing love and compassion to someone who is sad or needs your help.  Kindness is treating yourself and others gently.  It is caring about the earth and all living things.

Why Practice it? Without kindness, no one would listen when people or animals need help.  Everyone would be looking out for himself.  The world is lonely without kindness.  When someone reaches out to another in an act of kindness, it helps them both.  People's lack of kindness to the earth damages the air, water and the land.  This causes people and animals to suffer, too.  Being kind allows us to feel connected to everything and everyone.

How do you practice it? You practice kindness by noticing when someone or something needs care.  Become sensitive to the world around you.  Use your imagination to think of things that give others happiness.  Find out what habits harm the earth and choose kinder ways to live.  When you are tempted to be cruel, to criticize or tease, decide not to do it.  Speak kindly instead.  Greet people kindly.  Take good care of your pets.

Signs of Success Congratulations!  Your are practicing kindness when you...

• Give tender attention to someone who is sad or needs help.
• Do things to give others happiness.
• Practice habits that help the environment (reduce, re-use, recycle).
• Resist the temptation to be cruel.
• Accept people who are different.

"... If someone listens or stretches out a hand, or whispers a kind word of encouragement, or attempts to understand a lonely person, extraordinary things begin to happen."  Loretta Girzatlis