It was Saturday.  Mass with Msgr. Kriegel was over and Ryan and I were heading home. Msgr. had spoken about being “kind” and “merciful,” his theme for the week. I was preparing to talk to Ryan about the concept, as we usually spend the ride home chatting about how the sermon applies to him, but he brought it up first saying “Mom, I’m going to be kind.”

We talked about how he could be kind which quickly grew into an increasingly long list. I wondered, “will this simply be a list or something he takes to heart?” I should have known that Ryan would take hold of a concept that was so black and white vs. abstract.

It’s only been a week and Ryan could be the poster child for being kind and merciful.

Ryan understands kindness as helping others. In the mornings he is immediately getting up and making his bed WITHOUT any prompting, saying that he is being kind and merciful. At the amusement park, Waldameer, he held open the gates for others to enter. So, for Ryan, it may be emptying the dishwasher, doing a great job at Bello’s or buffing the floors, he is always relating that he is “kind and merciful.”

Yesterday, kindness was repaid to Ryan (and me). We received a package in the mail from an unknown zip code with an anonymous note saying “we found this while on vacation and wanted to return it.” What was inside? Ryan’s wallet with all contents (his ID, money, etc.). He lost it last Saturday at Sara’s before mass.

I am so proud of and thankful for the way Ryan shows kindness (I’m also thankful for the strangers who returned his wallet).

Teaching anyone to think of others before themselves is an important social skill. There are a million acts of kindness. We just have to start with one!

 Check out my Pinterest board (Kindness Counts) for fun, creative acts of kindness!