By Josh Hafemeister

Wednesday, Nov. 13 is observed by several nations as World Kindness Day. It is a day to recognize kindness and encourage compassion to others. Although the sentiment is nice, the holiday is unnecessary. Kindness should be encouraged every day of our lives.
World Kindness Day was introduced by the Kindness Movement of Japan in 1997 in Tokyo. According to theworldkindnessmovement.org, the movement officially began in Singapore on Nov. 18, 2000.
The mission of the movement is to “inspire people toward greater kindness and create a kinder world,” according to the website.
While World Kindness Day is laudable in its attempts to recognize and encourage benevolence in the world, it makes the mistake of many holidays such as Valentine’s Day or Earth Day: it strives to recognize a particular group or action that we should be acknowledging year round.
Spending only one day on a significant other is a fast way to end a relationship, and the Earth needs our care every day of the year. The same concept can be applied to World Kindness Day: being compassionate or kind to others does not belong to one day or week or month. It should be freely shown every day of the year.
People could also feel as if they are forcing their kindness by celebrating compassion only one day a year.
Just as some students or faculty may feel obligated to do something for their significant other on Valentine’s Day, some may feel obligated to show compassion or generosity on World Kindness Day. They may not want to, but because it’s the point of the holiday, they feel that they must.
The great thing about being kind is anyone can be kind anywhere and at any time. It could be past midnight and someone who wants to be generous can simply hop onto a computer and find a website to donate to.
The World Kindness Movement website suggests links to other sites such as randomactsofkindness.org, which offers a list of suggestions for what people can do on this holiday.
The list suggests several ideas such as holding a door for someone, being a good listener to a friend, buying someone a cup of coffee or cleaning your room. Aren’t all of these acts that can be done any time of the year?
The list goes on to suggest donations of blood, care packages to soldiers overseas or the homeless, and so forth. Blood is needed, soldiers are still over-seas and the homeless are still without a home the day after World Kindness Day. Donations such as these are needed every day of the year.
Rather than waiting for World Kindness Day to arrive to show benevolence to others, students and faculty should look for ways they can show their compassion locally; whenever they want to.
Those who are looking for a local opportunity to volunteer or donate can look at programs like Rainbow Hospice Center in Johnson Creek.
Rainbow Hospice is a medical program designed to care for the terminally ill and give comfort to the families of those who have died.
Volunteers can donate money or their time to Rainbow Hospice. The program’s site, Rainbowhospice.org, offers several ideas and ways to contact Volunteer Services.
Volunteering at the local animal shelters in Whitewater or Janesville or donating to a food pantry such as the one in Fort Atkinson or Jefferson are other ways individuals can help the community.
The American Red Cross offers several ways for students and faculty to assist their program. Redcross.org gives options for how to volunteer, donate and host your own fundraiser for the program.
The World Kindness Movement made the mistake of dedicating a single day to compassion toward others. Students and faculty of UW-Whitewater should show kindness every day of their lives instead.