KIND: Politeness leads us to civility

As I enjoyed the Sunday Cd’A Press article extolling The Lioness of Idaho, Louise Shadduck, I realized how valuable her strategy of politeness was for our current times. As I read through the article, I came to further understand how this locally born woman realized her power from respecting all whom she encountered. She rose up through our local and state governments all the while remaining a local girl. She was known for the “Politics of Politeness.”

This same morning brought another tidbit which dovetailed into this subject. On the CBS Sunday Morning TV show, I watched a story of kindness. A bus driver witnessing a homeless woman board her bus shoeless. The driver, having been homeless in her recent past, removed her shoes and gave them to this woman. A simple act of kindness.

That act inspired another woman rider to start a shoe giveaway program. A grand act of kindness.

These three woman all exhibited the value of respecting any and all whom they encountered. They show us in small and grand ways how our attitude of kindness leads to our betterment can grow. This attitude enhances our world as we uplift all. Those we know and those we would call strangers.

How I relate this to our “perceived” cultural and political differences of today is simply to remind myself that I can treat anyone in any situation with respect and kindness. Celebrating our humanity through our actions. Being a Lion(ess) by exemplifying our courage to… JUST BE KIND!

KELLY CONNAWAY

Coeur d’Alene