Foreword:
Inaworldwherethestrongdominatetheweak,wheregreedandselfishnessoftenreignsupreme,therearestillindividualswhoembodythepurestformofhumanity-kindness.Thisisastoryaboutonesuchperson,whoseunwaveringempathyandcompassionchangedthelivesofeveryonearoundhim.Jaredwasnotanextraordinarypersoninappearance,statureorwealth.Helivedasimplelifeinasmalltown,workingasateacheratalocalschool.ButwhatsetJaredapartwashisheart.Hehadaninnatesenseofkindnessthatradiatedfromhim,touchingthelivesofeveryonehemet.Jared'sstudentsadoredhim,notjustforhisabilitytoteach,butforhiswarmthandunderstanding.Hewouldalwaystakethetimetolistentotheirproblems,nomatterhowtrivialtheymayseem,andofferthemwordsofencouragementandsupport.
Outsideofschool,Jaredwouldvolunteeratalocalshelterforthehomeless.Hewouldspendhisweekendspreparingmealsanddistributingclothestothoseinneed.Heneversoughtrecognitionorthanksforhisdeeds,hesimplydiditoutofthegoodnessofhisheart.Oneday,whileonhiswayhomefromvolunteering,Jaredcameacrossawomanwhohadcollapsedonthesidewalk.Withouthesitation,herushedtoheraidandcalledforanambulance.Hestayedwithheruntiltheparamedicsarrived,offeringherwordsofcomfortandhope.Thewomanturnedouttobeasinglemotherwhohadbeenstrugglingtomakeendsmeet.Hersonwassickandshehadnomeansofpayingforhismedicaltreatment.Jaredtookituponhimselftohelpher,usinghisownsavingstocoverthecostoftheboy'smedicalbills.NewsofJared'skindnesssoonspreadthroughoutthetown.Peoplebegantoseekhimoutforadviceandsupport,knowingthattheycouldalwayscountonhimtolendahelpinghand.
Despitethepositiveimpacthewasmaking,therewerethosewhosawJared'skindnessasaweakness.Theywouldoftentakeadvantageofhisgenerosity,askingforfavorsorloansthattheyhadnointentionofrepaying.Jaredwasnotblindtotheirmotives,buthechosetoseethegoodineveryone.Hebelievedthateverypersonhadthepotentialforkindnessandthatsometimesallittookwasalittleencouragement.Oneday,Jaredreceivedacallfromaformerstudentwhohadfallenonhardtimes.Theyoungmanwasstrugglingtofindworkandwasfacingevictionfromhisapartment.Jaredknewthathehadtohelphim.Hereachedouttohiscontactsandmanagedtosecureajobfortheyoungman,aswellasfindinghimanewplacetolive.Heevenwentasfarastooffertopayhisrentuntilhewasabletogetbackonhisfeet.
TheyoungmanwasoverwhelmedbyJared'skindnessandvowedtorepayhiminanywayhecould.Jaredsimplysmiledandtoldhimthattheonlyrepaymenthewantedwasforhimtopassonthekindnesstosomeoneelseinneed.Jared'skindnesswasinfectious,andsoontheentiretownbegantofollowhislead.Peoplebegantovolunteeratthehomelessshelter,donatingclothesandfoodforthoseinneed.Theystartedreachingouttotheirneighbors,offeringhelpandsupportwhenevertheycould.Jaredhadstartedarippleofkindnessthathadspreadthroughoutthetownandbeyond.Hisactionshadshownthatoneperson,nomatterhowsmall,couldmakeadifferenceintheworld.However,therewerestillthosewhosawJaredasanaivefool,someonewhowastootrustingandidealistic.Theycouldnotunderstandwhyhewouldgooutofhiswaytohelpothers,evenwhentheydidnotdeserveit.
ButJaredknewthatkindnesswasnotaboutdeservingornotdeserving.Itwasaboutbeingthereforsomeoneintheirtimeofneed,aboutofferingahandwhentheyhadfallendown.Hebelievedthateveryonedeservedachancetobehelped.Oneday,whileonhiswaytotheshelter,Jaredheardscreamscomingfromanearbyalleyway.Withouthesitation,herushedtowardsthesoundtoinvestigate.Whathesawshockedhimtohiscore.Agroupofmenwereattackingayoungwoman,tryingtostealherpurse.Jaredknewthathehadtoactfast.Hechargedtowardsthemen,usinghisbodytoshieldthewomanfromtheirblows.Hemanagedtofendthemofflongenoughforthewomantoescape,butnotbeforehehimselfhadtakenseveralblows.
Whenthepolicearrived,theyfoundJaredlyingontheground,batteredandbruised.Thewomanhehadsavedwasbyhisside,holdinghishandandthankinghimforhisbravery.NewsofJared'sheroismsoonspreadthroughoutthetown.Peoplebegantoseehiminanewlight,notjustasakind-heartedman,butasatruehero.Jared'sactionshadshownthatkindnesswasnotjustavirtue,butastrength.Hisempathyandcompassionhadgivenhimthecouragetostandupforwhatwasrightandprotectthoseinneed.Jaredmaynothavebeenrichorfamous,buthehadsomethingfarmorevaluable-aheartfullofkindness.Andinaworldwhereactsofgoodnessoftengounnoticed,Jaredhadshownthatsometimesallittookwasonepersontostartarevolutionofkindness.
