Somebody once said, ‘Kindness is the language that the dead can hear and the blind can see.’ Nobody could have described the effects of kindness more eloquently than this. A gesture, an act, a sentence, no matter how big or small they are, how small the effort behind them is, if they are done out of kindness, they will for sure touch hearts.
The Kindness Diaries is a similar program which tries to discover and being to the spotlight all the acts of kindness people do world over. It is not done to bring fame or to publicize some one’s honest action, instead it tries to portray that even today this world has some amazing people with hearts of the size of ostrich eggs! They give and give, endlessly, expecting nothing in return.
The host of this show, Leon Logothetis, has his own personal, interesting story behind why he took up this venture. He is 38 year old British man who used to be a very successful stock broker. However, despite having a great job, great income, perfect house and other commodities, he felt listless and disconnected with everything round him. He could not feel happy with his life and felt he was somehow living a meaningless life, one without a purpose. This man who had a traveler’s spirit dying inside him as he sat inside his office everyday was desperate for inspiration. One fine day, he found it as he saw the movie ‘The Motorcycle Diaries’, which narrates the experience of Che Guevara. Che traveled all the way across South America with no money and no assets, except with a strong faith in human kindness.
Che’s story inspired him because here was a man who had relied on nothing but the good heart of humans and he has proven that kind people do exist. That was the turning point in Leon’s life as he left the job millions would kill to get, left his phone, his money and stepped out of his house with nothing but $5 in his pocket and a heart set on discovering the true kindness this world possesses as he began his journey. And lo behold! He found love, kindness, help and acceptance every where he went. He found places to sleep, food to eat and all sorts of help he wanted because there were always people willing to help, asking nothing in return. Leon returned a rejuvenated man, who before had been suffering from depression and deprivation, now had his soul renewed and his spirit strengthened. Of course when guy have seen the sun, it is seldom seen that you will revel living in darkness anymore. That is what happened with Leon as he set out to embark on a second such journey across the globe but this time, he wanted to reward all those who helped him.
He sought people’s help and as they crossed boundaries in trying to help him, Leon did not say anything first. At the end of his meeting he left everyone with a gift or a token they wanted or were in need of. In India, he helped a riverboat driver send his children to school by paying for their fee, he bought an apartment and funded the eduction of a homeless man who shared his blanket and bed with Leon.
When his show started, The Kindness Diaries, Leon got the opportunity to help more and more people and this video is a clip from that show. It features Daniel, a homeless guy who stands on the streets of Chicago with an uplifting and encouraging sign to make others smile. His sign reads, ‘Life is beautiful. Never say never because it’s full of surprises. Be thankful for the little things you have today because tomorrow???’ He wishes everyone a good morning, passes a nice compliment and smiles at them. In return he mostly gets nothing, a hurried smile maybe at times but that is it. Despite this, he comes there everyday to do this kind deed again.
When Leon asked Daniel’s story, it turned out his drug addictions had led him to be thrown out of his house by the tenant, he lost his job and life took a spiral way down some then. He had quit all drugs and been clean for nearly 4 months but because he had no money he had not been able to visit his family since ages. While talking about how his mother’s surgery helped him get back on his feet, how much he missed his family, Daniel broke down. Leon then gifted him a $1000 to help him get back to his feet, visit his family and try to get his life together again. As Leon explained, those $1000 did not predict that Daniel would get his life back on track but they were the opportunity that could pull him towards a better life. Leon then bought him a phone too to make him call his mother, talk to her and Daniel hugged Leon out of sincere gratitude.
This is how Leon touches hearts, changes lives. It is seldom that people who are kind-hearted and sincere in their efforts to do good ever find someone to reward them handsomely for this and Leon has taken to that task very generously. The main reason for his success is that he is able to connect to people because he has been through the same things, feeling alone and disconnected and has felt he true effects of kindness first hand.
This is what love, patience, generosity and kindness can do. They can change you, re-create you and help you stand tall again. Take some time out of your busy life today and smile at a stranger. Buy some homeless person food or a jacket; make someone happy today, spread a bit of cheer and laughter. We are so evolved in our own lives that we forget the true happiness that comes from helping others. As Leon’s motto says, go be kind today to someone.
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