Life is full of paradoxes, and kindness is one of them. A small act, a smile, a kind word, or lending a hand, often costs you nothing, yet it can mean the world to someone else. You might hold a door open for someone whose day has been unbearably hard, or listen to a friend who feels unheard. But sometimes, kindness can cost you everything ; your energy, your trust, your self-worth when others take you for granted. Imagine the single mother who helps her neighbor financially despite barely making ends meet herself or the teacher who stays late every night to ensure her struggling students succeed. The beauty of kindness lies in understanding this duality and choosing it despite the cost. Because every act of kindness, no matter how small, plants a seed of hope in the world and in you.

Disappointment walks hand in hand with expectations, and we all feel its sting. Think of the friend you trusted who betrayed you, or the promotion you worked tirelessly for that went to someone else. “Disappointed, but not surprised” becomes the...