After participating in a week of kindness with the Epiphany Organization in June, I was overwhelmed with the kindness, support and hard work of so many people during our work day. During the closing party on Friday night, I was moved to tears listening to the other non-profit organizations that had changed the lives of others through their acts of kindness and caring.

Last week, I read about a beautiful young woman who worked to save foxes through her Saveafox corporation. Sadly, she committed suicide after repeated bullying from fellow rescue workers and followers on her social media page. The loss of this young woman’s life has affected the rescue/rehabilitation community deeply. Although I did not know her, her passing has saddened me. There are simply not enough wildlife rehabilitators and rescue workers to care for all the wildlife in need. The hours in the day are never enough to care of all the wildlife intakes and the phone calls for help with wildlife never seem to end. And yet, every day we get up after very little sleep and begin another day. We are not angels. We are not saints. We are simply people showing compassion and kindness to the wildlife in need, and in doing so, make the world a better place through our actions and  love.

Kindness involves compassion, empathy, respect, and consideration. For me, kindness is an innate instinct, while others might view it as a conscious choice to act in a caring way. I have found that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a profound impact on people. Years ago, after riding at my barn for several years, a student wrote me a heart-touching note, thanking me for all the guidance and support I had given her over the years, and for the way I had changed her life. This note touched me deeply, because this young woman has simply been a student who took weekly lessons with me. I realized the impact my words and actions had in the brief time we shared and I was overwhelmed with the role that I had played in her life.

I now believe that if our words and actions are filled with kindness, empathy, and compassion, we can change the world around us. Every time that we help an animal or person, we feel better because it is an act of love. Love, compassion, empathy, and kindness is what the world desperately needs right now. Each of us, everyday, can help to make that happen.

With Gratitude and Blessings,
Cheryl