Tag Archives: kindness

A Simple Act of Kindness

A Simple Act of Kindness

By Maya and Arjun Govindaraj, both aged 17, Chennai, India.

 

Our dad grew up in Chennai, India. He has always told us stories about how he struggled to reach great heights. When we were leaving the children’s home after serving dinner, we will never forget the way he looked at those kids with tears in his eyes and said in Tamil, the local language, “Study hard and you can be very successful someday.”

India is the second most populated country in the world with some 158 million children below the age of six. There are 30 million orphaned and abandoned children and according to figures published by SERUDS*, and the numbers have increased since 2020. Majority of these children are girls because they are considered a ‘burden’ in their communities. Less than 1% of the abandoned children are in childcare institutions, 91% of which are run by non-government organizations. Many end up living on the streets, begging for food, or are forced into child labor.

Our interest in community service started in Pre-K when we packed shoe boxes during Christmas, to send to kids in developing countries. Our parents always encouraged us to help people in need and took us to volunteer during school holidays. We moved to Chennai from Houston, Texas in January 2023 so my mom could care for her elderly parents, and during our time here, we have witnessed firsthand the harsh realities of poverty.

Our school involves us in many service activities that teach us about environmental and social issues and the value of collaboration, social awareness, respect, and empathy. We were able to interact with our host community through the Discovery Program and volunteer through the Seva (service) Program. Although we come from different backgrounds, teaching the local underprivileged children, and playing with them after school we developed a bond with them and realized how happy they were to spend time with us. All children need is unconditional love, opportunities to play and learn, and a sense of belonging.

Seeing the amount of poverty that’s around us, and learning about the challenges these kids face in accessing a healthy meal and a good education inspired us to do something to show them that we do care. So, we bought backpacks, filled them with school supplies and gave them to 20 orphaned children along with evening snacks. We also served dinner to 60 children in a children’s home.

What we did were simple acts of kindness, but like Mother Teresa (the famous Nobel Peace Prize winning nun who lived and worked in and around Kolkata, India) had said, “We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something.” To see the kids living alone without the love of parents and companionship of siblings is heartbreaking. Spending time with them we came to realize the privileges we take for granted and how fortunate we are to have a loving and caring family that meets all our needs.

The joy reflected in their eyes on receiving a simple backpack and the smile on seeing a small cup of ice cream made our hearts swell with pride, and although they have nothing, they were kind enough to offer us in return the power of their collective prayers as thanks.

We will be heading back to Houston, Texas soon, but what we have learned and experienced in the past two years in Chennai, will forever be etched in our minds, and we hope to continue to visit these children and share with them what we can.

As tech savvy Gen Z’s, it is our duty to use the power of social media to tell the stories of these children and to initiate global dialogues around the issues they face so we can find them the resources to face challenges and bounce back from adversity to fulfill their dreams of a better tomorrow.

* https://serudsindia.org/orphans-the-forgotten-children-of-india/ (From Sai Educational Rural & Urban Development Society, SERUDS) https://serudsindia.org 

—Maya and Arjun Govindaraj are Indian American siblings, both aged 17, and from Texas. They are currently studying at the American International School in Chennai, Tamil Nadu in South India.

Kindness Is Magic

By Lila Drowos, age 10, Florida.

Kindness, whether it’s you being kind to someone, or someone being kind to you, can make you happier and healthier. Even small acts of kindness can change a life and make you feel better. But can kindness also be good for you, the person you’re kind to, and even others around you? Can it keep you healthy and relaxed? What exactly are the benefits of kindness?

The good feelings you get when kindness is happening are created by endorphins, pleasure chemicals that are connected with joy and pleasure, social connection, trust, smiling, laughter, and love, which can also come from doing an act of kindness. Kindness also helps us form meaningful relationships and connections, making strong friendships and bonds with others. Being kind can reduce stress as well, which makes you healthier and calmer, and creates pride, belief and confidence in yourself, and a sense of belonging.

Kindness can also help you learn to appreciate the good things in your own life. It can help you be more grateful. It’s always good to have some gratitude for the good things in your life, rather than focusing on the bad. Kindness can also boost your creativity and help you have a better imagination and ideas which can produce better results in school. It can also reduce the effects of bullying. And there’s the ripple effect, treating others how you want to be treated. If you’re kind to someone, they could go and help someone else, spreading kindness and helping the world become better, happier, and healthier. Witnessing acts of kindness can also produce other chemicals in your body that help lower your blood pressure and improve your overall heart-health. It can also give you optimism and extra confidence, which is extra helpful when you’re anxious or shy in any situation.

Kindness strengthens your heart physically and emotionally and it can help you live longer, and prevent illness. Also, serotonin levels, the feel-good chemicals in our brains are increased in both the person being kind and the person receiving the kindness, as well as anyone who witnesses that kindness.

Kindness is a wonderful way to feel happier and healthier for everyone!

“I am a fifth grade student and I attend a religious day school where I am learning about my Judaism. Being Jewish is really important to me because it connects me to my family and community. I am also learning to speak Hebrew in my school, which is a language traditionally spoken by Jewish people. We have different values and traditions and I am really interested in learning about the history of my people, and how it has shaped our beliefs as a community. 

One of the things that are important in Judaism is our focus on Tzedakah, which is the Hebrew word for charity. Kindness is very important to me and I like to help others. Some of my favorite ways to volunteer and give charity include preparing and delivering food to people that don’t have any, collecting supplies to donate to people in need, and picking holiday presents for families that can’t get them. 

Another important value in Judaism is Tikkun Olam, which means making the world a better place. Helping the environment and protecting it is very important to me as well. I care about sea creatures that get harmed by eating plastic that blew into the ocean, as well as land creatures that may eat trash. Recycling and reducing waste are ways that anyone can help, and take care of our planet, which is very important. 

When I think about what Tzedakah and Tikkun Olam have in common, they are both rooted in kindness. Kindness is a way of achieving a better world and making the planet that we live on a better place. I wrote my essay in honor of World Kindness Day, which was on Friday, November 13th this year. To me, kindness is very connected to my Jewish values and is something I want to teach others about.”

—Lila Drowos, age 10, Florida.