The Ripple Effect of Kindness

Written By: Johanna Fein, Highlands Chamber of Commerce/ Visit Highlands, NC | Issue: May 2024

In today’s world, where social media dominates our interactions and screens consume our attention, the simple act of kindness may seem to be lacking. A mere click of a button can broadcast our thoughts to the masses, it’s easy to forget the impact our words and actions can have on others. Social media platforms, while designed to bring us closer together, often serve as breeding grounds for negativity and division. But what if we chose a different path? What if, instead of adding fuel to the fire, we used our digital platforms to spread kindness like wildfire?

Imagine logging onto your favorite social media site and being greeted not by a barrage of complaints and criticisms, but by a stream of uplifting messages and words of encouragement. It may sound like a pipe dream, but it’s within our reach. It starts with each of us making a conscious effort to be mindful of our online interactions, to pause before hitting send, and to ask ourselves, “Is this comment spreading positivity or perpetuating negativity?”

But kindness isn’t confined to the digital realm; it extends far beyond the confines of a screen. In our everyday lives, whether we’re standing in line at the grocery store, chatting with a neighbor on Main Street, attending a local community event, or dining in a local restaurant, we have countless opportunities to practice kindness. It’s holding the door open for the person behind you, offering a friendly smile to a passerby, or taking the time to really listen when someone is speaking.

In small towns especially, kindness isn’t just a nicety; it’s a necessity. It’s the glue that binds us, reminding us that we’re all in this together, each doing our best.

Visitors and new residents often remark on the warmth and kindness of the people in Highlands, and it’s a reputation we’re proud to uphold. However, extending kindness shouldn’t be limited to our interactions with people we don’t know; it’s equally important to demonstrate kindness towards each other within our community.

Kindness isn’t always easy. It requires patience, empathy, and a willingness to set aside our own egos in favor of the greater good. It means choosing to be the bigger person, even when you may want to lash out. It means recognizing that we’re all flawed people, navigating our way through life as best we can, and extending a hand of understanding rather than pointing fingers of blame.

So, how do we cultivate a culture of kindness in our community, both online and off? It starts with each of us making a commitment to lead by example. It means choosing kindness in every interaction, no matter how small, and spreading positivity wherever we go. It means listening to other people’s perspectives with an open mind and a compassionate heart, even when we disagree.

In the end, kindness is a choice—a choice we make every day, in every interaction. It’s a choice to lift each other up rather than tear each other down, to build bridges rather than walls, and to leave Highlands, and in turn, the world a little brighter than we found it.