A Kind Word

I ran a completely unscientific and unexpected experiment this morning that demonstrates the fact that we do not say kind things to people nearly often enough.

First, let me be clear about the intent here. The attempt at making someone's day just a bit better did not begin as an experiment of any kind. Sometime during sleep last night, I decided to message a group of my Facebook friends to let them know that I appreciate them. The selections were completely random. Whoever was on within a designated time received a message from me. To women, the message read, "Want you to know that you are beautiful, inside and out." To the men, it read, "You are a good persons and I am glad to know you."

Fifty such messages were posted, as private messages, in Facebook Messenger.

I received forty-seven responses. The majority of those return messages wondered what had spurred such a comment. Was I sick or dying? Had something happened? What did I know and what is going on? I should admit, I suppose, that it is a fairly rare occurrence for me to make such comment without context or without invitation of some kind. After all, doing so may be considered, at least in my 20-something daughter's parlance, as "creepy."

You are beautiful, inside and out.

You are a good person and I am glad to know you.

Forty-seven discussions followed. Some of these people I have had no discussion with in at least several weeks. Some have not heard from me in a year or so. I do not remember ever having had a discussion with one of those to whom I sent a message.

The universal comment was more than simply "thanks." It was, "I really needed that today (or right now)." Every single person from whom I heard in return said that the brief comment had made a difference in how they will approach their day and how they might be willing to say kind things to others.

It took exactly three minutes to send out fifty Messenger messages. It has taken two hours to field the responses and engage in conversations. I am confident that taking that time will ripple through the vast communities of those to whom I addressed the initial message.

I think that I will try this again tomorrow. Who knows? Maybe saying nice things to people can affect attitudes and moods to the point where others will take up the cause of saying kind things to one another. Maybe we have been working too hard at bringing God's kingdom. Maybe all it takes is a kind word.

Join me?