As we approach the holidays with seasons of change, we approach the reflection of how important kindness is. In our generation, we struggle to realize the impact we make on others in how we treat them. Being rude and disrespectful can have a huge effect on someone who might already be struggling with anxiety and depression. We need kindness to spread around more than ever during this time of the year.
According to the National Institutes of Health, “In most cases, SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the spring and summer; this is known as winter-pattern SAD or winter depression.” Meaning, the highest rate of depression/sadness diagnoses are during the season that we are currently approaching. It’s very important to be kind to others, considering that most of the time, we have no clue what the person is going through.
Kindness can be spread throughout our community in a variety of ways, big or small. It could mean giving a donation, or as little as just opening a door or carrying something for someone who needs a helping hand.
Within the past four or five years, there has been a popular social media trend pointing out people acting as “Karens.” “Karen is a pejorative slang term for an obnoxious, angry, entitled, and often racist, middle-aged white woman who uses her privilege to get her way or police other people’s behaviors,” according to dictionary.com. During this time of our generation, it has become a major term often desensitizing people to the way people think that they can treat others.
As teenagers, we see poor examples of the way adults treat others, easily angered and refusing to cooperate. Many of these encounters we see at our workplace with “rude” customers interacting with employees. A prime example would be an encounter that senior Grace Drake experienced while working on a summer day, at Bomgaars. Drake expressed how it was as little as the store not having a certain part stocked in the store, that the lady couldn’t purchase. “Instead of the customer being understanding and cooperating, she took the anger out on me as an employee, even though I had no control of the situation,” Drake said.
At the end of the day, we all can be better humans no matter the circumstance. Everyone always has their own battles that they may be going through within their own life. This is why it’s very important to treat people and your peers with kindness and respect.