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The Science of Kindness Mary Ann Kirby 22 • January 2019
The day I wrote this, George H.W. Bush, 41st President of the United States, had just been laid to rest. His death, at 94-years-old and mere months after the death of his beloved wife of 73 years, dominated the news cycle for days. But while President Bush Sr. may have been known, politically, for his foreign policy, it was his inherent kindness and deep compassion for others that stands out as what will, likely, define his legacy. I want to be like George. The world, and humanity as a whole, feels like it’s under siege these days. Anger, insults, protests, polar opposition, have never told you this, but…,” and proceed to tell the most amazing stories of kindness that Jack, a 13-year-old kid, had shown them, repeatedly. These stories were shared over and over, and time and time again. I can’t imagine a greater legacy—nor the comfort and beaming pride his family must have felt. I want to be like Jack. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to actually measure how a kind gesture fully impacts society. What if it’s shared with a stranger? Or on a whim? But each time we release kindness out into the world, no matter how small, a powerful surge of With so many benefits, every act of kindness is a healthy one. It’s a scientific fact! Most humans are born with a natural sense of compassion–and while it varies wildly from person to person, we’ve all known people that just seem genetically altruistic. But for the rest of us, observing kindness and then emulating that same kindness may be the most effective way to guarantee its continuation. And without a doubt, cultivating kind behavior in our kids emboldens them to grow into socially conscious adults who will carry forth the kindness mission. In a world where you can be anything, be kind . . . partisanship, and the epic offensive nature of society, overall, seems to prevail as an overarching theme in the news and on social media. And while I know I should probably stay up-to-date on current events, sometimes even the headline is more than I can bear. I have to limit the time I spend with media, TV, and internet in particular, and select only a few stories to read in full–usually reserved for pop culture, cute animal stories, and celebrity news. I’ve become unapologetically illinformed. One amazing story I recently did read, however, was about a local 13-year-old named Jack Dunaway that had passed away, sending his family and friends into the agonizing throes of grief and loss. Immediately upon his death, and in the days that followed, fellow students and classmates who knew Jack, some better than others, began pouring out with stories about how he had been so incredibly kind to them. They’d say things like, “You probably don’t know this…,” or “I may energy pulses through humanity uplifting everyone in its path! This chain reaction serves a purpose that extends far beyond just a “feel good” factor. In fact, to fully understand the true impact of a compassionate act, we need to understand the science of kindness. Yep, kindness involves science. There’s scientific evidence regarding the impact that it has on both the giver and the receiver. Kindness stimulates the production of serotonin in your brain–which calms you down and creates feelings of happiness. And it not only boosts serotonin in the giver and the receiver, but everyone else that witnesses it! Kindness also causes the release of endorphins and produces oxytocin which promotes social bonding, exerts that immediate calming effect, increases trust and generosity, and strengthens the immune system. It actually minimizes stress because it has been determined that compassionate people have 23% less cortisol in their systems. Cortisol is the infamous “stress hormone.” If nothing else, be like you want your kids to turn out. So in 1989, in his inaugural address, the 41st President of the United States said this: “We cannot hope only to leave our children a bigger car, or a bigger bank account. We must hope to give them a sense of what it means to be a loyal friend, a loving parent, a citizen who leaves his home and his neighborhood and his town better than he found it. What do we want the men and women who work with us to say when we are no longer here? That we were more driven to succeed than anyone around us? Or that we stopped to ask if a sick child had gotten better, and stayed a moment, there, to trade a word of friendship.” We possess a powerful ability to choose kindness–and whether it’s random or intentional, free or extravagant, the way we choose to express it is as unique as our fingerprints. And by adopting a more compassionate mindset full of intentional actions, we can make the world a better place, one act of kindness at a time. l Hometown madison • 23
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