Most of us just missed World Kindness Day, an international observance on November 13. The observance was first formed in 1998 at a World Kindness Movement (WKM) Conference in Tokyo. According to the official website, their mission is to “inspire individuals towards greater kindness and to connect nations to create a kinder world.” Today, WKM has representatives from over 25 nations. One popular way to honor their mission is through random acts of kindness, which psychologist Dr. Geoge Fieldman describes as “doing something spontaneous and generous to someone without expecting anything back in return,” and that’s exactly what happened in London this year. Londoners are infamous for their hustling and bustling. What happens when you greet passers-by in the city with a single yellow rose and ask them to pass it onto a stranger? Continue reading to see how they responded and to learn more about why kindness is so important to society.“Science shows us that people who act altruistically tend to be happier, healthier and, in fact, to live longer themselves,” Dr. Fieldman told the London Evening Standard.
With the color of the sun, yellow roses are believed to symbolize optimism, warmth, and friendship. If you want to send a cheerful, lighthearted message, giving the gift of this rose is a good way to go.
Online florist Interflora asked their staff members to hand out a single yellow rose to passers-by along with a simple request: pass it onto a someone else.
One person commented on the Evening Standard website, “This is a new concept for most Londoners.” We must argue that the same is true in many other places. The lady pictured here was happy about the experiment. She said that “a smile goes a long way.”
Fieldman says that “it’s the feeling and the intention that the recipient picks up that is kind of restoring and positive in some way.”
“If a large proportion of people were kind in a small way, that would be definitely good for society and make a lot of people feel a little bit better,” the psychologist continued.
“I kind of felt a bit empowered by it. I mean it was terrifying, don’t get me wrong,” he admitted.
Yes, kids were in on it, too! Some say that kindness is like a muscle, one that can be built with practice, which is a good reason to start them early.
Just because you missed World Kindness Day doesn’t mean you can’t continue the movement in your own way. It seems our country needs it now more than ever.
