Choosing Kindness is good for you

Choosing Kindness is a very special edition of Mainstreet Nova Scotia that was broadcast across the country on CBC Radio.

Host Jeff Douglas guides a series of conversations examining why kindness empirically makes sense; how it has been nurtured in some of our Indigenous communities and faith traditions; and the role it can play in helping heal some of the rifts that have grown between us during this pandemic.

You've got to try a little kindness, show a little kindness- Glen Campbell

Guests include Bernie Francis – Mi'kmaw elder and linguist from Maupeltu (Membertou) First Nation, Quentrel Provo – Founder, "Stop the Violence Spread the Love", Imam Zia Khan – Director, Halifax Center for Islamic Development, Rev. Andrea Anderson – Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Hammonds Plains.

You'll also hear songs steeped in kindness from Nova Scotia artists Owen O'Sound Lee, Classified with David Myles, Breagh Isabel, Neon Dreams, Four the Moment, and others.

Scientific studies demonstrate that when you are kind to another person, your brain's pleasure and rewards centres light up as if you were the recipient of the good deed, not the giver. It's known as the helper's high.

Kindness actually makes us feel better, it makes us want to do it again. And it makes us calmer.

Kindness is a bit like throwing a rock in a millpond. It spreads.- Senator Stan Kutcher

Kindness doesn't happen naturally. You have to intentionally put it on.- Rev. Andrea Anderson

The most disagreeable individuals, who are also the least likely to be kind, can benefit most by behaving more compassionately.- York University website

Alison Uhma on her art in celebration of kindness

"I wanted to do a take on flowers in a vase – flowers are such a lovely way to show both gratitude and to celebrate – but I wanted to layer in some more meaning.

"I created a Grecian-like vase as a way to capture and express the unique nature of this time we find ourselves in. The vase is a vessel that offers a glimpse into what the working year was like—some working remotely, others more traditionally.

"The motifs on the vase acknowledge Atlantic Canada. Depictions of people on the vase are uncomplicated, to allow space to identify with the images.

"Altogether, the illustration offers a way to reflect and celebrate."—Alison Uhma.

• Cape Breton artist's illustration inspired by 25 years of Celtic Colours