Small acts of kindness often happen when we least expect them. During a mission in Sabah, I met a boy who taught me that you do not need much to make a difference in someone’s life.
I noticed him sitting alone in the school canteen during RMT, the school feeding programme. Around him, other children were eating, chatting and enjoying their time together. But he was quietly staring at his food without taking a single bite. Then I noticed another food container beside his meal.
I walked over and sat beside him. “Kenapa adik tak makan? Bekas ni untuk siapa?” I asked.
He looked down and quietly replied, “Saya nak bawak balik bagi adik saya dengan abang. Biar diorang makan.”
I was stunned. This child was willing to skip his own meal so his siblings could eat. He did not say it as though he was doing something extraordinary. To him, it was simply an act of love for his family.
I told him, “Takpe dik, makan je yang ni. Nanti saya belikan makanan untuk adik dengan abang, ya?”
He looked up at me, gave a tiny smile and slowly started eating. I had to turn away for a moment.
I had gone to Sabah thinking about how I could make a difference, but that day, a child taught me something instead. He reminded me that small acts of kindness can come from the smallest hands and the biggest hearts.
Small acts of kindness you can try today
We often think we need to do something big to make a difference. But kindness does not have to be complicated.
It can be sharing something you have, helping someone who is struggling, or simply noticing that someone is having a difficult day. You do not need to be rich, powerful or older to be kind. You can start exactly where you are, with the people around you.
One way to practice kindness is to notice who might need it.
Is there someone in your class who always sits alone? Invite them to join you.
Is there a friend who seems quieter than usual? Ask how they are doing and listen.
You may not know what someone is going through, but showing them that you care can make them feel a little less alone.
You can also choose to include others. Invite someone into your game. Share your notes with a classmate who missed school. Give someone a chance to speak when they are often talked over.
If you see someone being bullied or treated unfairly, do not simply laugh or look away. If it is safe, support them and tell a trusted adult. Sometimes, kindness means having the courage to stand beside someone when they need it most.
Kindness starts with our words
Kindness can also be found in our words.
A simple “You can do it”, “I believe in you”, or “You did a great job” can mean a lot to someone who is struggling with their confidence.
Before making a joke about someone, think about how it might make them feel.
Before sending a comment online, pause and ask yourself: Would I say this if this person were standing in front of me?
Being kind online matters just as much as being kind in person.
And remember, kindness is not about being perfect.
We all have bad days. We may get angry, say the wrong thing or make mistakes. Being kind also means learning to apologise, forgive and try again.
What matters is that we keep choosing to care.
What the boy in Sabah taught me
The boy I met in Sabah reminded me that small acts of kindness can have a much bigger meaning than we realize.
We may never know how a kind word, an invitation to join, a helping hand or a moment of listening affects someone. It might brighten their day. It might give them confidence. It might even become a memory they carry for years.
I still wonder whether that boy remembers me. Maybe he does, maybe he does not.
But I will always remember him not because of what he did for me, but because of what he taught me.
He showed me that you do not need to have a lot to give a lot of kindness.
Where will your kindness begin?
So, this World Kindness Day, look around you.
Who could use a little encouragement?
Who might need someone to listen?
Who is sitting alone?
Start there.
You do not have to change the whole world today. Small acts of kindness are enough to begin. And when one person chooses kindness, someone else might be inspired to do the same.
That is how kindness grows: one small act, one young person and one moment at a time.
