Ripples of Kindness: A Review of "Every Little Thing" by Janice Landry

"This is one of the first beautiful weekends in Alberta and I pulled out all of the patio furniture. Naturally I decided to take advantage of the weather and sit in the sun- I took your book with me. Within an hour I found myself weeping at the beautiful story of the half finished sweater. My god, this book is necessary Janice! Thank you so much for writing it! What a sight I must have been. Sitting in the sunshine crying tears of joy. I love everything about this book and you are such an incredible writer. I just wanted to give you an update!”

This is what I wrote to my dear friend and author, Janice Landry, as I read her book “Every Little Thing”, a beautiful work dedicated to kindness.

In a busy world where the news plies us all with bad news from across the globe, Janice’s book is truly a ray of sunshine. From a 50 year old hand written note of encouragement, a benevolent group of people completing knitting projects for loved ones , people opening their homes in times of natural disasters,  and many more, Janice takes us on a journey of compassion, altruism and a restored faith in humanity. This book filled my heart with joy. We need more of these; works that celebrate kindness and the perpetuation of good will. 

I was lucky enough to be interviewed by Janice for this book. I have the honour of sharing my perspective in chapter 6 where I speak about how kindness can be contagious, and how even little acts of kindness can evoke a sense of fulfillment and encourage reciprocity.

It doesn’t have to be grand gestures. On the contrary, it can be a smile, a nod, a cup of coffee, or a lunch made for someone on-the-go. Kindness can change the very culture of workplaces through inclusive leadership. It can encourage others to engage in acts of kindness when it has been bestowed upon them. The underlying theme is: kindness begets kindness. It is a social contagion that has a ripple effect and changes lives for the better. I would challenge anyone to read this book and then not be inclined to do something nice for someone. 

I shared the book with a dear friend of mine, Meghan, who had recently lost her mother. I told her about the chapter that celebrates the benevolent people who are a part of the Loose Ends Project. It is a nonprofit that completes knitting or other textile works for the family members of people who were unable to finish their projects due to death or disability.

She became emotional as she described a group of ladies in the small farming town of Onoway, Alberta that finished her mother’s quilting projects. She and her sister both have those quilts, and she will cherish them forever. I envision this small group of ladies hunched over their sewing machines thinking about her beloved mother and their final act of love for her. What a gift.

This is the beauty of Janice’s book. Without it, we never would have had that conversation.

Acts of kindness are everywhere. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once wrote that kindness is the “golden chain by which society is bound”. Isn’t that the truth? 

Bottom line: be kind, expect nothing – gain everything. Thank you, Janice for reminding us of this.

Every Little Thing. A book that will fill your soul and remind us that there is good in the world. Let’s all keep doing our part!

To order your own copy of the book, visit: https://nimbus.ca/store/every-little-thing-how-small-acts-of-kindness-make-a-big-impact.html

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