Wear your kindness cap for a day!

On this kindness-cap-wearing day, no lies are told, malice keepers become friends, and bad-mindedness is laid to rest. For real? Yep!

HELLO MI neighbour! Work with mi: Let’s say we all got up one morning and decided privately to wear our kindness caps all day, the whole 24 hours. And let’s say that we were all serious. Let’s say also that we were bent on not yielding to the temptation of doing otherwise, despite the strength of the temptation. So, we would pray to the Almighty for strength to keep our word. Good!

Now, we are on the road where ‘the rubber meets the road’. Patience is tested, tempers flare and rage engaged. Well? On the road are motorists unfamiliar with the road code (licences bought), those unaware of the presence of others on the road, the absentminded, the visually impaired, the mentally unstable, nondrivers, and the great majority who are bereft of road courtesy. Understand what the rest of us encounter on a daily basis? And it is under these circumstances all of us will show kindness.

Your first test occurs at the traffic light, where ‘madeeks’ runs the red light, almost causing a nasty collision with you. Shocked, you place your hand on your head, and it hits your kindness cap. Remembering your commitment to kindness that day, instead of swearing and chasing down the motorist, you ask the Lord to have mercy on his soul and help him to get to his destination safely. With his kindness cap on, the other motorist, realising his blunder, does a mental apology and wishes you well.

So you go to the office and the boss and other normally disgusting co-workers are all wearing their kindness caps. Wow! “What a wonderful day it’s going to be! Productivity is going be high today – it’s a noundermining day at the office. Pressured to be kind, the boss pressures no one unnecessarily today. On this kindness-capwearing day, no are lies told, malice keepers become friends, and bad-mindedness is laid to rest. For real? Yep!

By the following day, leaders, television networks, and journalists from across the world will descend on our little Island to know our secret behind this day of no murder, no robbery, no rape, no scamming, no corruption in Government, no cheating, no wife and husband fights, no school fights, and nobody getting upset with anybody etc. Excitement!

And do you know what would result from these 24 hours? A kindness outbreak across Jamaica!

Hear the tourists sing: “Com wi guh dung com wig guh dung com wig uh dung a sweet, sweet Jamaica com wi guh gung

com wig uh dung fi guh soak up nuff a dem kindness.” Den hear us now: “Sweet Jamaica Mi naah lef yah ... “

In this atmosphere, neighbours will truly love their neighbours as themselves and do unto others as they would want others to do unto them, and everyone would be rushing to help someone from the list below.

Until next time, wear yuh kindness cap mi neighbour!

THANKS TO DONORS

• Neighbour in Manchester, offering clothing for two for to three-year-old boys and girls. • Ms Robinson, St James, for offering clothing. • Neighbour, for offering a dining table. • Miss Seaton, St Elizabeth, for contributing to her neighbour’s welfare. • Jacqueline, St Andrew, for financial contribution.

OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP

• Millicent, Hanover – asking for help to repair house. • Mauvorie, St James – suffering from heart blockage. Additional challenges include: medical expenses, daughter attending high school, lack of food in the house, etc. Asking neighbours for prayer. • Sachell – asking her neighbours for a second-hand laptop to help with university studies (parents cannot afford to purchase). • Arlene, St Catherine – mother of six asking for assistance to do a little ‘hustling’. • Audrey, Clarendon – asking for a radio to keep her company. • Marblet, Clarendon – mother of three. Needs food and financial assistance for daily existence. Also asking for a size 11 widewidth female shoes. To help, please call Silton Townsend at 334-8165, 884-3866, or deposit to acct # 351 044 276 NCB. (Bank routing #: JNCBJMKX) or send donations to HELLO NEIGHBOUR C/o 53 Half-Way Tree Road, Kingston 10; Paypal/credit card: email: zicron22@yahoo.com. Or contact email helloneighbour@yahoo.com. Mr Townsend exclusively manages the collections and distributions mentioned in this column and is neither an employee nor agent of The Gleaner.