‘Kindness – that simple word. To be kind – it covers everything.’ These words by Roald Dahl always remind me of a sacred calling that inspires and informs my work and which was reinforced many years ago during a long discussion I had with Dr Jane Goodall when we agreed that being thoughtful and kind is the foundation to creating a more integrated, caring world. Kindness towards oneself, kindness towards others, and along this pathway, kindness towards the natural world, which sustains and nourishes our spiritual and physical selves throughout our lives.

Kindness to me are the small everyday gestures of considering others and begins with our own self-talk, our own compassion and caring for ourselves. It flows into the world from this premise of self-awareness and self-compassion, and the kind-heartedness that we extend to the world of others – our fellow man, the creatures great and small that live alongside us – fulfils a deep and intrinsic tendency towards cooperation and communal caring that has been a part of the human journey since the dawn of time.

I refer often to these poignant words by the Irish poet and philosopher John O’Donohue – ‘The world can be harsh and negative, but if we remain generous and patient, kindness inevitably reveals itself. Something deep in the human soul seems to depend on the presence of kindness; something instinctive in us expects it, and once we sense it, we are able to trust and open ourselves.’

Through my work with Wild Neighbours, I encourage people to extend their everyday thought processing so that they look beyond the rush of their lives to the beauty of the world and the simple pleasures of nature’s calming presence – the delight of birdsong, quiet reflections on water, a light breeze brushing the grasses. As we begin slowing down and using our senses to deepen small moments, the enchantment of life is slowly revealed in all its soul-stirring magnificence. Surely we cannot harm or ignore that which fills our life with such purpose and meaning?

Making small changes in how we live our lives, and even just striving to approach life differently - perhaps softening one's tone, offering little acts of kindness, noticing other lives that might be struggling or in need of caring words or attention (human or creature) - will, over time, reinforce a paradigm of living more essentially, which in turn engenders deeper feelings of integration, awareness and appreciation of the wider living world.

As John O'Donohue wrote - 'The word kindness has a gentle sound that seems to echo the presence of compassionate goodness. When someone is kind to you, you feel understood and seen. There is no judgment or harsh perception directed toward you. Kindness has gracious eyes; it is not small-minded or competitive; it wants nothing back for itself. Kindness strikes a resonance with the depths of your own heart; it also suggests that your vulnerability, though somehow exposed, is not taken advantage of; rather, it has become an occasion for dignity and empathy. Kindness casts a different light, an evening light that has the depth of color and patience to illuminate what is complex and rich in difference.'