Kindness to all

Here I am whirling around in philanthropy care in the Tri-Cities for the Corvettes in the Columbia annual fundraiser, graduation party, then Seattle for another graduation party and to help with the children co-op programs and Refit breast cancer awareness, to come home to a thank-you letter from the U.S. President and getting ready to volunteer for the Presbyterian vacation Bible study, only to hear the news of a 13-year-old child committing suicide.

My heart breaks for the friends and family of this young girl. My mind ponders, what can we do to prevent these types of tragedies? The words: Kindness to all, repeats in my mind. Why do people have to be so mean? What kind of accomplishment is derived from cruelty? That was someone’s baby, who left her whole life instead to let the world see her shine.

Should our police and prosecutors take a stronger stance on charging bullies? Should our schools take a stronger stance on promoting kindness and no tolerance for cruelty? Should we as individuals do our best to practice kindness? Should we as a community stand united to stop the bulling and promote kindness? What if she would have turned the gun on those who were being mean? What would those parents have to say?

I know what it is like to be bullied and what it is like to become a bully as a means of survival. I know what it is like to be punished for protecting myself and others from being bullied. And I know in my heart and mind I would rather be punished a million times over for protecting myself and others from being bullied then have to spend the rest of my life with the knowledge, I could have done something.

Thirteen years old, someone’s baby, always practice: Kindness to all.

Elisia Dalluge

Moses Lake