Uncle Joe was known for his bad temper. Neighbors avoided his house, fearing his gloom was infectious. Joe didn't mind; he preferred the silence to their judging eyes. Not that he minded. He did not enjoy seeing the folk's judging faces as well, so he supposed the feeling was mutual. He had never had a wife, friends, nor children. His parents were long since dead. It should have hurt him, drowned him in despair. But uncle Joe was used to loneliness, even favored the lingering feeling of emptiness in his chest that stayed as if it was a stubborn mule. This morning was unlike any other. Following the routine, he grudgingly woke up to the alarm's buzz, took a pricking, ice-cold shower, and got in his same, dull gray clothing he wore every single day. “Why bother dressing up for nobody?” he muttered, exhaling a plume of cigarette smoke at his reflection. Wrinkles were his only companions. There were some on his forehead, under his eyes and yet there were no crinkles on the cornerns of his eyes, nor did he have prominent smile lines, as if happiness itself has stripped itself away from him. His deep blue eyes, which were supposed to look like a beautiful ocean, instead looked cold as an iceberg, unnerving to the gaze. People might have wondered why he was like this, why it was as if he had a constant rain cloud over his head. The truth is, he was not like this all the time. Decades ago, Suzanne had been his light. But cancer took her when they were just high school sweethearts, leaving him in a world that had stayed dark ever since. He sniffed as he remembered her dear face and opened a beer can, taking a huge swig. He sighed. Today was Sunday, so no work was expected from him. Good, he thought. Now I might as well have time to watch sweet ol' soccer. Like usual, he prepared himself a plain sandwich while taking bitter swigs of beer and finally sat down on the plush sofa with a grunt. Apart from wrinkles, sofa was the one thing that has always welcomed him with a soft embrace. Just as he settled in to find a TV program, a loud thud, scratching, and whiny meows interrupted him. He groaned in annoyance, "I swear if som'body pranking me with that cat I ain't gonna control my so-called temper this time!" He set down his beer can and stood up, lazily stepping outside to check for the noise. He squinted at the bright sunlight, and walked a circle around the house trying to find the source. When he reached the rain gutter, the noise got louder. He tutted, "You stupid cat! How did you even get in there?" He grabbed gloves and a flashlight from the garage. Inside the open gutter, a small, terrified figure meowed up at him. He sighed and shook his head, speaking softly, "It's okay, lil' one. I'm gettin' ya out." He gently got the kitten in his hands, careful so that the kitten would not scratch him. When he looked down in the kitten in his arms, a small tingling feeling of hope evolved in his chest, which was dwindled down by the feeling of doubt. What if the same will happen to this kitten as it did to Suzanne? "I'm goin' to wash ya now," he muttered, gently scrubbing the grime away until the kitten was warm and comfy. As he was filling a bowl with milk, he grunted as he saw the brightness in the kitten's eyes as it meowed, "Don't get used to it, buddy. I'm still goin' to sumbit ya to the animal shelter, other way or not." But as the kitten started drinking from the bowl, now his doubt changed into the one whether if he actually had to get rid of the kitten. He snapped out of it. Remember, happiness always got out of your life as soon as you grasped it. Why would this time be any different? And yet, he wanted it to be different. He was too tired to live a life filled with anger and sadness. He needed a break from this. He muttered, "I have to think." He got the can he left on the table and turned on the soccer program again, thoughts about the kitten forming a tangled mess in his poor old head. He was so engrossed in his own mind, that he did not even notice that the kitten jumped and settled in his lap, meowing as if sensing the war that his thoughts brought. He chuckled and stroked the kitten's head, "You dear thing..." The kitten closed its eyes and purred loudly, making Joe laugh, "You look just like Suzanne, don't you?" A detail he noticed just at that moment. Suzanne had bright red hair and green eyes which seemed to sparkle anytime she was excited. Her eyes remained the same even if she was slowly suffocating inside, even if her hair has slowly lost its color. And the kitten, it seemed, had pretty similar features. A smile crept up his face, "Oh, dear Suzanne. I knew you would come back." Another meow from the kitten brought pure delight to his heart, and the gray walls of the house seemed brighter than they were, as if the house itself was happy . And he knew, that he would let the kitten stay. His happiness was finally back, and this moment made him understand -- life is not over.

I believe that performing acts of kindness will improve our overall health and happiness. Currently, our overall health and happiness is in jeopardy. Technology and the way we communicate with others is making us lonely and putting stress on our hearts. In an issue of Time Magazine, an article explains that technology that involves some form of written communication has made it more convenient to avoid the strenuous work it takes to form precious "substantive" relationships in the flesh and blood ("Debate"). When we are putting less work into a relationship, the result is cheap. Technology has also made it more convenient to cyberbully, since the screen is in between the victim and the cyberbully. Cyberbullying often leads to lower self- esteem, depressive thoughts, and anxiety. This makes victims feels isolated and targeted ("Cyberbullying"). When a victim feels isolated, this leads to loneliness. Loneliness is associated with a twenty nine percent increase in risk of heart disease and a thirty two percent increase in stroke ("Loneliness"). When I spend time texting or scrolling through social media and I come across something funny, I don't laugh out loud the way I would if someone were to make me laugh in person. This has always bothered me, as if technology allows me to ignore my emotions and natural instincts. When someone says something hurtful to me over social media, I look at it over and over. It is so much easier to say whatever I want and be whoever I want when it's over social media or text. These sensations often make me feel lonely, disconnected from my own feelings, and others. I even feel an empty pain in my chest. Once I had set my phone down, I walked down to my room to see my little sister sitting on her bed in our room. She asks about my day and shows genuine interest. I look over at my neatly made bed, which I didn't have time to make this morning. On my made bed, there is a sweet note placed next to the pillows. The note is from my mom. She made my bed and wrote a "thinking of you" note. A smile comes across my face as I read the note and crawl into my bed. I began to do a body scan, and I noticed the pain in my chest went away and my whole body felt light, fluffy, warm, and regulated. These small acts of kindness helped relieve and fulfill me, as they have time and time again. The next morning when I woke up, I began writing a few generic, kind notes to give to random people at school. After reflecting on these mini personal experiences and researching what I was feeling, I believe that kindness is the first step to fulfilling the hole in our hearts. You can perform acts of kindness in so many ways. Make it a goal to share something or say something kind at least once a day. When the going gets tough, and you don't feel like doing anything for these inconsiderate people, ask yourself why you don't feel like doing anything, why are they inconsiderate, how will this affect your health, and how will this affect other's health. This will remind you why it's important to perform acts of kindness. If you are looking for ways to be kind, there are plenty of acts of kindness listed on the Random Acts of Kindness website. Some acts of kindness I have performed myself include baking cookies for others, big giant bear hugs with consent, babysit without accepting money in return, reminding others you love them and why randomly, nominate teacher for the Buffet Award, give positive observations, offer to shovel a neighbor's driveway, stand up for someone, share advice when it is desired, smile at strangers, write a thoughtful note to a teacher or friend, and volunteer at the Food Bank. Although some may argue that being kind to others is not important, and that taking care of yourself is more important, I disagree. When you care for others, you will begin to appreciate yourself even more than you did originally! People that only take care of themselves are less happy. Being kind to others will make taking care of themselves easier, simply because they are happier. A 2010 Harvard Business School survey studied happiness in one hundred thirty-six countries and found that people who contribute to charitable donations or serve others are happiest. When we see a kind act being done and we are around kindness regularly, a love hormone called oxytocin is produced. Oxytocin works to lower blood pressure and maintain a healthier heart. This hormone also increases our self-esteem, optimism, and makes us less anxious in a social situation ("The"). Kindness positively reversed these negative health and happiness facts. Since we cannot change loneliness overnight, kindness has proved to be a positive way to start fixing this problem. Compassion is a muscle. Just like in weight training, you build your compassion muscle by reaching out to other's regularly ("The"). If everyone took the time to observe and be kind, I believe it'd have a big impacts on our health and view of others.

I look myself in the mirror, I can discern the decay of my face. There is no smile anymore. The stasis of my lips offers satisfactorily lust in my thoughts that torment my mind with Medieval methods. I touch my idol in the mirror and I hurt. I try to close his eyes, but I cannot. They stay open and still and they look morbidly. Chainsaws echo from the overlooked cemetery, tear into pieces mercilessly the marble crosses. What have I done to myself so he looks at me like this? Why my sharpened teeth do not appear on the glass surface with sole purpose to bite her? Sorrow hallowing my forehead with sorrow. Indestructible thorns jab more deeper in the flesh of my skull. Bloody tears sparkling in my hands' palms. If I scream I will die. If I die I will have to kill. If I kill I am obliged to leave. If I leave, I will return. God, why, the sorrows of people transmute into ebony coffins that are buried within my heart? If only I could soothe my consciousness for seven days… I feel something to choke me. My throat is asphyxiating while my glass idol laughs horrendously. I can't stand the howling. No, yell at me no more. Reigns powerful silence, and then spasms commence recalling me in my starting position, before abyssal darkness arrogates my senses. Maybe fate leads me in a deathly destiny, which in case it happens, will become the salvation which is the highest virtue for a tormented soul like mine. No, I don't murmur. The existing circumstances of life have tired me insurmountably, because as I try to open a way out to the future, it ricochets me to the past. Death is the physical continuation of life, and I will be delighted if it happens to the days of my youth, for the simplest reason, that I cannot avoid him. To speak the truth, I don't want to avoid him. I want desperately to remain alive and to feel whatever joy I can, but they don't let me. In which attempt I give or trying to be present, they find ways to chain me and isolate me. The only thing that will never succeed in accomplishing is to handcuff my mind. A free spirit clearly suffering, but in no way it can be imprisoned. A free spirit prefers death so not to lose innocence, insight, respect and prestige. I have thought many times while I stroll in the city, how life would continue if I committed suicide… For sure there will be consequences and repercussions to people who they love me , however they would continue to exist without me, and with the flow of time the rift of pain would heal in desired spots. The verb “die” does not fit here, so, reasonably I use the verb “suicide”. Suicide is not an act of cowardice as some falsely believe. Because nobody knows how much pain a single human has within his soul. Nobody knows the spiritual boundaries and the stamina in a daily routine that open wounds that cannot be healed. How many people we see daily that smile whilst inside them are literally devastated… How many people we see daily that seek a kind word, a velvet touch, an understanding breath, and the only thing that get is disdain… How many people daily we place of the beam of desperation without remorse…Here is a key word which provokes pathogenic causes with fatal results. Suicide as a meaning and as an act certainly is the ultimate hybris against God, though requires determination and courage to turn yourself against yourself and violently remove the coveted life in that way. How many of you have done this macabre thought at least once… In this theater of paradox we daily live, the incarnation of life to life seems like an unreachable dream. Loneliness, disappointment, sorrow, wrong choices, guilt, remorse, unemployment, compulsion, hatred, unfairy tax policies, lies, eradication, violation of human rights, greed, selfishness, stab democracy that all people worship. The rule of law which could be, turns into a cradle of powerful coldness where everything collapse upon the enormous steel walls of human separation. Undead people wander everywhere aimlessly. They stamp upon dead bodies, seeking comprehensible sunrays of justice and transparent water to wash away their sins. How would it seem to the violators of this planet, who have elevated the obedient lobotomy to a profitable enterprise, a universal peace, which it would dismiss forever the wars for interest and people would live happily? A universal peace will destroy forever the human funnel grinders of annihilation. Only by thinking of it, my heart shivers from hope and expectation. A universal peace would give meaning in words and prestige in actions of future generations in a planet which agonizes… The only thing that is needed is an incision of kindness into the hearts of men… An incision that will bring back long-forgotten feelings, good deeds, smiles, hope… Hope for a palatable future life. We need love to live, not pain. Tears drop from my eyes as my words breath on the paper. What I wish for, what I want is, my words breathe inside your psychic dreams…

I recently lost my car (which I used to live in). I am currently living in low-income housing. I haven't worked in five months. I have no money for transportation (bus, or getting a ride from someone). I have had to cancel several job interviews because of transportation issues. I am currently taking several medications, one of which is critical for me, I haven't had them in over a month because I can't get transportation to the pharmacy and I don't have a dollar for the co-pay. I currently volunteer at a non-profit (it's within walking distance from my building). I won a funny (easter) bunny picture contest from radio station 104.7 (WAYZ). The prize was a $50 AC&T gift card. AC&T is a gas station/convenience store. I have no way to get to Greencastle, PA to pick up the card. I asked them to mail the card to me, but they said they couldn't mail it. So I told them to give the card to someone else. I am hoping my story will inspire someone perform a selfless act of kindness or to volunteer. No matter had bad your situation is, someone is always worse off than you.