Watch as the camera tracks an act of kindness as it is passed from one individual to the next and manages to boomerang back to the person who set it into motion.

Orly Wahba wrote and directed this five minute video, based on the belief that by living kindly, change is possible.

Now available as a book: 

https://amazon.com/Kindness-Boomerang-World-Yourself-Through/dp/125006693X

Found that book here:

http://parade.com/534060/paulaspencer/downloadable-kindness-cards/

The story behind the video:

In the words of Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” 

When I sat down to write the script for “The Kindness Boomerang” it was those words that echoed through my head. I’ve always believed in the good of others and the potential of each person to make a great difference in this world. 

Some call me naïve, some call me a dreamer, some call me foolish. They ask me how after reading the news headlines, witnessing the pain, tragedy and destruction that occurs on an every day basis brought about by the greed and hatred of fellow human beings, that I can even attempt to believe in the good of all people. 

To those people I say, YES there are bad actions, but there is no such thing as a bad person. If you really look at each person as individual you will find that they too once believed in the good of others. But, you will also find that somewhere along the road of their life they got burned, they got hurt because of their belief and slowly but surely they became cynical and eventually they became afraid to believe. To insure that we protect ourselves, sometimes we create walls, masks, barriers. On the outside we have a rough exterior, sometimes to the point where we begin to believe that the facade is our reality. But, deep down in our heart the belief still flickers, it may not be as bright, we may not even see it, maybe we don’t want to see it. 

Kindness is something we all know to be important, but we tend to forget it somewhere along the way. Until one day, when we feel as though things can’t get much worse, we bump into someone else and for no reason whatsoever they touch us with kindness. That small touch ignites the feeling hidden deep within us once again and we begin to feel something we haven’t felt in a long time and it feels so good.

If we’re lucky we take a moment to notice these precious moments and allow those moments peel off a layer of cynicism, allowing some light to enter. Perhaps, the next steps we venture will be with a new perspective, one that makes us more aware of those around us, one that makes us even for a fleeting moment to believe once again in the good of others, to trust. 

The Kindness Boomerang was my attempt to remind the child within each of us, the innocence we once had, to remember that change is possible – to remember that kindness is possible and within our very reach. 

Open your eyes, become aware of your surroundings and you will be surprised by the amazing opportunities that lay before you. Your act may propel others to follow because kindness, like the domino effect has the power to spread rapidly. Who knows perhaps the kindness you perform today will magically find its way back. So put your heart out there and touch the life of another with kindness. Each scene was taken from a real life experience that I’ve had with complete strangers. Little do they know the effect and impact they have had on me. 

Go and create your own scenes, stand back and watch how magically one kindness leads to another.

But most importantly remember that kindness is not about the big things, it’s about the small things that are right in front of us every moment. So get out there and seize the day – because there is no day but TODAY!   So, what “If everyone cared”? – let’s try it out and see where it takes us. I’m rooting for all of us!

Source: http://www.lifevestinside.com/the-story-behind-the-film-kindness-boomerang-part-i/

A less fragmented, more connected world. 

Kindness is a value that transcends borders, race, faith and age. Orly Wahba founded a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring kindness after growing up as “that kid in black who sat writing morbid poetry” and working as a middle-school teacher. Life Vest Inside’s first effort, a video called “Kindness Boomerang,” has been seen more than 100 million times and led to her 2013 TED Talk on the magic of kindness.

“Whether you’re sweeping the streets, running the company or running the country, we’re all pieces of the puzzle, each as important as the other,” says Wahba, now CEO of Kindness USA. “Kindness is the tool to breaking down labels and barriers and seeing we’re all exactly the same. In a world that sometimes shows you bad, kindness shows you so much good.”

“It’s an action word,” agrees Anaheim’s Mayor Tait. “You can be empathetic, respectful and compassionate while sitting on your couch. But to be kind you have to get off your couch and do something.”

So here’s to a year of doing kindness and living kindness. It’s easy, it’s free, it feels good—and it really makes a difference.

Source: http://parade.com/534041/paulaspencer/lets-make-2017-the-year-of-being-kind/

Orly Wahba TED Talk on the Magic of Kindness:

Source: http://blog.ted.com/the-magic-of-kindness-orly-wahba-at-ted2013/

I really like this TED Talk.

Orly Wahba TED Talk on the Power of Kindness:

Source: http://www.lifevestinside.com/about-us/founder/

The kindness boomerang video has been a favorite on PandaWhale since our beginning:

http://pandawhale.com/post/2301/awesome-music-video-on-abundance