I’m going to ask you to bear with me and read this column to the end, because I’m going somewhere positive.

Right now, it seems you can’t turn on the news or walk by the water cooler without hearing about hate. There’s Kanye praising Hitler and Nazis — the same man who, in 2005, said George Bush doesn’t care about Black people now siding with some of history’s most evil people. This weekend in North Carolina, a criminal attack on electrical substations left over 40,000 people without power and with no easy fix in sight. And on Monday, Nike cut ties with Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving for sharing a link to a documentary that pushes antisemitic messages.

It’s not so much the focus on hate that matters, it’s the chipping away of our common humanity. You may be like me and asking, “What’s happening to our world?” Well, research tells us that negative messages are likely to be shared more rapidly and frequently than positive or neutral messages, which means we’re more likely to hear these negative stories.

So today, I’m going to flip the script.

This morning, I encountered a colleague walking into the office wearing a KN95 mask. We exchanged pleasantries and I asked how she was doing. She said she was fine but that her children developed colds over the weekend. Gesturing to her face, she shared that she didn’t want to spread that illness to others. I thanked her for her kindness, and she said, “We do what we can to make sure everybody is safe.”

A dear friend of mine, Kurt, is recovering from triple bypass surgery. My sister, his girlfriend, took the week off work to be with him while he convalesced. She’s staying in special housing for families and loved ones of those who are undergoing major surgery. The housing provides her with a hot meal every night, along with a shuttle to and from the hospital. Missy told me she wished she were a philanthropist so she could donate to the fund that makes this accommodation available for those traveling long distances.

Our son, Garnet, reminded me this weekend that we still need to pick up stuffed animals to donate for kids between Christmas and New Year, which has become a family tradition. Last year, we donated stuffed animals to the Ogden Police Department, where Chief Young and his entire department are always ready and willing to serve. This year, we’re going to donate to Your Community Connection (YCC) Family Crisis Center. That is, once I find the time to take my kiddo to pick out the items we’d like to donate!

I’m sure the world is not all doom and gloom. After all, I just shared three paragraphs of positivity in this column. I know people are doing good things. Five years ago, it was unthinkable to wear a mask when you think you might have a cold; today, not so much. Givers are going to give (thank you!) so that families visiting from out of town can be at their loved one’s side in the hospital, helping to speed up the healing process. And I’m grateful that my son, too, is a giver (even if it is my money — wink) and look forward to picking out stuffed animals for delivery. He’s my hope for the future.

So, in an effort to make a positive change, starting with myself, I’m going to pack away my Scrooge inclinations and instead value the everyday kindnesses that counteract the hostility, violence and aggression that continues to unfold before us. I’m committing to telling more stories about what’s going well and getting others to join in. More importantly, I’ll hold myself accountable to what I bring into the new year — hope, optimism and willingness.

As we wrap up 2022, I’m issuing a new challenge to you, that every day of the new year you intentionally do something kind — a smile, holding a door for someone or even some grand gesture — and then talk about the kindness others have shown to you. Let’s change the conversation in 2023. That’s someplace I’m excited to go. Will you go with me?

Adrienne Andrews is the vice president of equity, diversity and inclusion at Weber State University. Twitter: AdieAndrewsCDO

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