Kim’s written another article for their team’s blog, it’s brilliant:
With Christmas nearly upon us, it seems a good time of year to think about kindness and its importance in making a difference to other people’s lives as well as making ourselves feel good.
Due to the severity of Toby’s illness and daily challenges we face as a family, I often find myself looking for the positives that I can draw from these experiences.
Something I have observed is that we, as humans, live off hope. How many times a day do you hear people say ‘Hope you have a good day’ ‘Hope things get better’ ‘Hope you are ok’? This hope gives us strength and something to focus on. When something is wrong we hope we can fix it, we try to find a solution and want to do something to help.
But what happens when you or someone close to you has an incurable illness or problem that you can’t fix? The result is there is no hope. Something people find very hard to accept.
So when there’s no hope to fuel you and you’ve had your fill of coffee and mince pies (or chocolate for those strange people who don’t like mince pies), what do you do then? Where do you find the strength to keep going? However twee it may sound, the answer I have found is kindness.
My husband and I are on the receiving end of incredible acts of kindness every day. It ranges from thoughtful messages of support and love, to offers of dinner, chocolates and wine, care for our boy (which is scary due to the life and death nature of his illness) and amazing fundraising activities to help buy Toby the equipment he needs to live a better life.
This kindness is our fuel. It’s what helps us to keep smiling and doing everything we can for our boy. It’s easy when you read about the horrific acts of hatred on the news to think the world has gone to pot, but people’s kindness towards us has shown how wonderful people can be and their huge capacity to do things for others. The size of the gesture doesn’t matter, it’s the thought, effort and love that is important.
What’s your fuel? Coffee? Bacon sandwiches? Exercise? Could you do more for others, however small? The lovely thing is the kinder people are to you, the kinder you are to others. Go on give it a go, I promise it will make you feel good.