Acts of Kindness

Hello friends,

This week, I ran across an old art meme I made four years ago. It shows a daisy, leaning toward something we can’t see, and features a quote from writer Sumayyah Talibah: “Commit a kindness today.”

Kindness—not always niceness. That’s something different—really does keep the world running. We can think the world only runs on hatred and greed, and sometimes that is all we can see, but really? Kindness is the action and the attitude that keeps this world alive. Whether it is fierce or soft, kindness orients us toward each other and this world.

Kindness is Julia Butterfly sitting in an ancient redwood tree named Luna, offering it the protection of her body.

Kindness is LaDonna Brave Bull Allard offering water protectors and their supporters safe haven on her land as they prepared for battle.

Kindness is you, comforting a friend in need.

Kindness is having patience with someone struggling to learn.

Soft kindness is a welcoming connection.

Fierce kindness is a necessary correction.

Kindness is many other things, too:

Kindness is all the people cheering on and supporting my current new series, sharing my Kickstarter and posting corgi GIFs.

Kindness is a dog helping a trapped kitten.

Kindness is the trees and clouds, talking to each other, cycling water from earth to sky and back again.

Kindness is remembering; we are of a kind. We are kin. Family. Relations. All of us. Every human, every insect, every volcano, every tree.

So here I am, reaching out to you, saying: I hope you find some kindness today. Some sense of connection and relationship with something, anything, at all.

best wishes — Thorn

My Kickstarter campaign has one more week to go. Thanks for all your support in bringing these books into the world.