Kindness Can Heal
Last Tuesday the tragic explosion of ammonium nitrate in Beirut killed 135 people, injured over 5,000. and left more than a quarter of a million people without homes.
Amidst such devastating circumstances, the kindness of locals helping each other brings hope and healing for victims and their families.
For example, Dr. Joe Baroud, a plastic surgeon in Beirut, has been offering free plastic surgery to victims like Romy Zahour Lauret, 30, whose face has been scarred by the explosion.
Others have shared their homes, offering shelter and comfort for dislocated and traumatised residents of Beirut.
It reminds me of another time when kindness brought comfort and healing during tragedy and crisis.
On 9/11 when thousands of planes were re-routed out of US airspace, Gander, a small town in Canada, welcomed nearly 7,000 scared, exhausted and stranded passengers. For five days, the townspeople freely gave these strangers whatever they needed, comforting, entertaining, and accomodating them.
When the visitors finally were told they could get back on their planes, thousands of tearful goodbyes took place.
One Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer took it upon himself to farewell everyone publicly, yet silently, by standing at attention in the airport lounge wearing full “mountie” regalia.
He stood still while a blind teenage girl from Germany ran her fingers around the curved brim of his hat and over his bright red wool tunic, while her mother described the sparkling brocade and black leather riding boots.
She wanted her daughter to know what kindness felt like.
During this pandemic and especially in Stage 4 lockdown, tensions have risen as people’s mental health are suffering. We are less patient with each other and more anxious and frustrated. We are tired of staying home, tired of wearing masks, and just plain tired.
So when someone is kind, it truly is a gift.
It lifts our spirits and brightens our day.
It is a spark – an opportunity to pass it on, to spread the kindness just a bit further.
It is a reminder that kindness is possible, that it is still a choice.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14.
Let’s gift each other a bit of kindness today, believing that it truly does have the power to heal.
by: Jinha Kim
"But those who drink the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14