When kindness is the

AThe new dawn evokes a new awareness for kindness.

‘If you can be anything, be kind’ – A sentence that has been prominent throughout the last 12 months for reasons close to our hearts and also presented to us from around the world. It's been a tough time for many, but kindness has become the key.

The quote ‘If you can be anything, be kind’ originates from the last social media post that Caroline Flack made before her death. It was simple but significant. It was a cry for help due to the tabloid war she found herself in regarding her relationship and TV career. She tragically took her own life on the 15th of February 2020 after leaving the world with a strong message. As a result, it has become the mantra within the social media world to remind people that their words do hold meaning and do have consequences. No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

The world has changed a lot, and so have we. The things people used to consider little are now the big things that make a difference. Political conflict in the UK and around the world, topics of saving our natural environments for ourselves and the animals and ecosystems we live alongside; followed by the social unrest of race relations, and the tragic deaths of many people from George Floyd to Sarah Everard have sparked a new awareness of kindness and its importance.

The list of unfortunate events goes on, however. They have all triggered a response in kindness. It's a tragedy in itself that incidents have to occur for kindness to be highlighted globally in this way. Kindness is a positive

Sophie says.....

by Sophie Fitzjohn.

and must be used to learn from as well as for comfort.

When the pandemic put the world on pause, it's been a time of reflection. We have come to notice the effects our everyday lives have on the planet, from CO2 emissions to the importance of becoming more eco-friendly and sustainable. Environmental activists such as Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, have captured the importance of these issues and have actively spoken about how the importance of kindness towards our planet needs to be a priority as it also contributes to our overall wellbeing.

Throughout the turbulent year of 2020, we also stood up and took note when it came to race relations, due to many deaths and the heavily documented unlawful death of George Floyd. The incident which occurred in Minneapolis, Minnesota, made headlines around the world. It was only taken seriously due to mobile video footage taken by a teenager at the time of the scene. There was a huge uproar regarding the death of an innocent black American man and people globally protested in their millions for justice

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and police reform. Due to the continued support, justice was made and changes within police departments and society have become prevalent. ‘The death of George Floyds will not be in vain.

The same stance was taken when the tragic news of Sarah Everard's awful death was made public. Women in their thousands gathered for a vigil in commemoration of Sarah and to show support for women everywhere and their right to feel and be safe wherever they may be. The phrase, ‘text me when you’re home’ trended as women around the world resonated with the very real risks of being a woman on their own. There is a fine line when it comes to all of these topics. As people often want to show their support, however, this can easily turn into passion and sometimes anger; which in turn depicts the aim to show solidarity and kindness. This has been noticeable throughout many protests which people relate to as it's important to them. However, there does seem to be a turning of the tide, which suggests that people are actually being understood and not just heard.

The hope is that all negative aspects that occur within the world encourage a fresh beginning for engaging a new relationship with the world and each other. Most importantly, that kindness is considered a key trait that we should all be compelled to portray in our lives whenever and wherever we are..

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