top of page

True Acts of Kindness

Lisa Melara


Photo Credit: Lisa Melara
Photo Credit: Lisa Melara

“As I write this blog, I am reflecting on the fact that fiction and literature continue to provide examples of how to live and what it means to be a human being.” - Lisa


The opening page of the first chapter of Kristin Hannah’s novel, “The Four Winds” include the year 1921, and the following quote by Wendell Berry, a farmer and poet - “To damage the earth is to damage your children.”  It hurt my heart to read this. It is the opposing image to the Chinese proverb, “One generation plants a tree, the next enjoys its shade.”


What are we willing to do to look forward beyond ourselves? What energy do we put into the future rather than the present set of problems, or in many cases, the past ones? Do our orientations and behaviors favor others, and those that will follow us in this life?


We do not need theoretical examples of the scorched earth. We just need to witness the devastation of the California wildfires and their accelerant, the wind. Both forces are out of human control. We can plan, we can react, bring water, and fight the fire. However, at some point, the fire may win and bring us to our collective knees.


I found myself reading about resources available to fire evacuees. I thought about what they might need, where they could go, and how they would live day to day with the realization that all is lost, or what is left is no longer familiar or the same. It has been singed, decorated with ash, or a casualty of water. The theoretical becomes very practical and a scary turn in the journey of their life.


This is the time of year when we reflect on the year past and plan for the year ahead. It often includes personal and professional priorities, dreams, or the desire to form new habits. My new year’s intention setting does not include things to do to prepare for the earth’s damage. It did not include things I can do to alleviate the strain I put on the earth. It certainly did not plan for what I can gather that might be of help to a friend or family member facing the unimaginable.


As I take this precious time in January to set my course and decide where to put energy, I am challenging myself to think about who comes next. That “next” could be a February flood, or a summer hurricane affecting neighbors near and far. I will also be thinking about what is important. What “things” really define my life, if any? What small habits can be changed to ensure that our children have a healthy earth, and our neighbors have what they need to sustain themselves while we work toward a less damaged and restored earth.


Thinking about our neighbors, the “other” person, and the next generation beyond us is an act of love, surrender and sacrifice. It is not in a sound bite.  It’s also not weakness but strength, especially of character. In Mitch Albom’s most recent book, “The Little Liar,” the grandfather washes gravestones. He does this as often as possible because he cannot be thanked. To him, it is a true act of kindness. This is a man whose life went on to include years in a Nazi concentration camp.


Perhaps our only goal for 2025 might be that we practice as many true acts of kindness as possible.

bottom of page