The quiet power of kindness: How actions shape safety, harm and healing

It’s not every day that you open your entertainment social media pages and stumble upon videos that make you take a minute to yourself. Not because it is funny or dramatic, but because it feels too real. Let me give you the full gist. while scrolling through YouTube shorts, I came across a video of a young lady who was about to be kidnapped when entering her own car. One would probably look at it as lacking environmental awareness but she most likely had a sense of security for parking there once or twice before. She was walking towards her vehicle and when she arrived She unlocked the car, got in and within seconds, an additional figure appeared in the back seat holding a closed handkerchief, dosed with an unknown liquid substance that clearly intended to knock her out. Everything happened so fast that it sent shivers down my spine. So surreal yet terrifyingly possible.

Luckily, two people who happened to be nearby rushed towards the lady so as to offer their assistance by yanking the man using his hoodie as a distraction as the other pulled the lady out of the car. They tackle the assailant, and trap him between the car window and the door frame and call for help. Open to reading the reactions of some of the viewers, I came across someone who had commented about the sense of community that was showcased by the two rescuers, which begs the question, does it give you a giddy feeling, knowing that somewhere out there, a total stranger might come to your rescue when you least expect it? That in a world where so much harm exists, there are still people who choose to act? Think about it, if good people exist, why do innocent people still get hurt? For over thinkers, the questions wouldn’t cease at that point, and that kind of reflection could sometimes overwhelm even the strongest problem solvers or those people who always have an answer to everything.

Maybe we can try breaking this down with a simple logic, not to eliminate the hurt entirely, but to understand how some of it is caused, and how some of it can be reduced. Sometimes, without realizing it, we become part of the reason why some people get hurt. It may not always be through extreme actions, but through smaller ones such as giving smug comments, careless words, dismissive reactions and silence where empathy was needed. We may not intend harm, but intention does not always cancel the impact. A single careless action can linger longer in someone else’s mind than it ever does in ours. This is where the phrase “hurt people hurt people” often comes up. And while it can feel like an overused saying, it holds some truth.

People carry unresolved pain from their past experiences that could resent from insecurities, neglect, rejection and disappointment and sometimes that pain spills over into how they treat others. For some, this becomes a necessary shell, a form of protection or a way to survive.
And while that context matters, we also need to acknowledge something else, and that is that as human beings, we still have free will. We could still make choices even while in pain. Choosing kindness over violence, or empathy over indifference, may not come easily, but it remains a choice. Kindness, especially towards the people we do not know, can go a long way. Someone might be on the verge of breaking, quietly holding themselves together, and a single kind interaction like a stranger stepping in, a gentle word and a moment of being seen can become their lifeline. Sometimes kindness looks very simple.

“I love your outfit.”
“Do you need help?”
“Would you like company?”
“You’re doing great.”

These may sound small, even insignificant. Some might dismiss them as validation-seeking or unnecessary. But in sincerity, they are acts of humanity. And for someone struggling internally, they can carry them through an entire day. It’s not about fixing anyone. It’s about acknowledging presence. When I think about it deeply, I’m reminded of animals that live out in the wild. They move in packs, each species looking out for their own kind. They warn each other of danger and protect the vulnerable. Survival is not an individual but rather it is collective. And maybe, at some point, we forgot that humans are wired similarly. We are not meant to exist in emotional isolation. We are, whether we like it or not, responsible for one another in subtle ways. Creating a healthier society begins with how we interact daily. When we are surrounded by warmth, safety, and compassion, our bodies respond by releasing chemicals that are associated with calm, trust, and connection. These interactions directly influence our mental health.

But what about the moments when we are the ones struggling? What happens when we are expected to be kind while we are still processing our own hurt? There’s a saying that goes: a problem half shared is a problem half solved. And while it may sound simple, there is truth in it. Internal conflict, when left unspoken, often grows heavier. Acknowledging it even to one trusted person can be the beginning of release. Another powerful approach is open communication. Sometimes, inner conflict is caused not by life in general, but by a specific person or situation. Observing patterns, understanding behavior, and gently confronting the source without aggression, and with honesty can help resolve internal tension. When the moment is right and emotions have settled, approaching someone and expressing how you were affected can be freeing. Not every conversation will end perfectly, but clarity often brings relief. And relief creates the space to choose kindness again, not from obligation, but from sincerity.

The video I watched reminded me of the importance of a community that still exists. Even if it feels fractured at times, even if we don’t always notice it, it shows up in moments when people choose to act instead of look away. We may not always be able to prevent harm. But we can interrupt it. We can soften it. We can refuse to add to it. And sometimes, that is enough.