Think about the last time you took a moment to be kind…
Maybe someone dropped papers, and you helped them pick them up.
Maybe you held the door for someone.
Maybe you offered an encouraging word to someone who was struggling.
According to research from the University of California, San Diego and Harvard, the kindness likely didn’t stop there.
It “rippled” out into the very fabric of humanity.
Apparently, our actions have consequences through three degrees of separation:
You show kindness to Abe.
Because of that interaction…
Abe shows kindness to Barb.
Because of that interaction…
Barb shows kindness to Carol.
Because of that interaction…
Carol shows kindness to Dan.
According to the research, that is as far as it goes. (I’m not sure why Dan was the jerk to breaks the chain…)
But think about it:
You engaged in one simple act of kindness…
But it impacted Barb, Carol and Dan…
…people you might never meet!
So what?
We are waiting for politicians or celebrities to change the world in some big grand gesture.
That isn’t how humanity works.
Our culture is the accumulation of tiny acts of kindness or cruelty, generosity or selfishness, grace or hate.
So, find a way today to spread a little ripple of kindness through the fabric of humanity!
Peace,
Ryan
Source: Fowler JH, Christakis NA. Cooperative behavior cascades in human social networks. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Mar 23;107(12):5334-8.
