” The initiative asks students in each homeroom class to perform a combined 85 acts of kindness by May, and post photos of their works to Instagram, Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #85KindActs and the handle @stjeanhs.” http://www.today.com/news/beyond-giving-tuesday-social-media-fuels-schools-85-acts-kindness-1D80332292
Perhaps building on the protests to keep us working against injustice in our minds and hearts and world, repeated acts of small and large kindness and direct service can become a habit. That is another way to fight against the harshness and cruelty we are facing.
One of the times I got my awareness kicked up was when I questioned a fund drive by 1st graders in an urban school. They raised money for zoo animals’ food. I am not proud to admit that I said, “Many of these families don’t have enough money for food for themselves.” And then I heard how much money they had raised and how proud they were, how it impacted them to be on the giving end, not always the ones in need (thanks Tamera Joy Sakotas). For years, whenever those kids were asked to talk about what was good at their school, many of them talked about raising money that time.
We are better when we feel useful in this world. We are better when we know we have a purpose. It feels good (for most of us) to help, just to help.
I would like to read Marge Piercy’s poem To Be of Use to these students and see if they are inspired to spread the idea. I urge you to click on the link to it.