Intentional Kindness

As I watched a segment on the CBS Sunday Morning show, Mayo Clinic came to mind.  The show was talking about a study that revealed that the smallest gesture of kindness given to someone can help prevent suicide.  Just communicating that we care brings about a connection that is enough to help someone who is suicidal.  Dr. Jerome Motto came back from World War II with an understanding of how important receiving and sending letters were to his and others mental health.  After the war, as a Psychiatrist he studied ways to intervene with patients who were suicidal and began sending patients caring notes. It made a world of difference as many told him that the small but important regular communication helped them feel connected and stay alive.  A kind word had the power to change others lives.

This is what we see at Mayo Clinic.  They are very intentional in making sure their employees , around 60,000 of them, treat those who come through their doors with kindness.  They have monthly training in how to treat the patients and caregivers. They communicate that they actually care about you as a person.  We have experienced it first hand day after day.  Certainly we know that there are a few who do not follow this way of thinking, but I have run across only one person who was crabby and rude.  One.  I told our daughter that if you even look a little confused or lost in the maize of Mayo, 3 people will stop to help you.  They are intentional about their attitudes, but it is sincere, and their kindness seems to be contagious!

Today when Joel was waiting for me to come out of treatment, he was talking with the people at the front desk, and he told them they were healers.  The one woman looked surprised and said, "Healers"? Joel replied to her, "Yes, definitely.  You are part of the healing process in how you greet people by name and treat them."  The doctors and nurses are also very very accommodating, very compassionate, very concerned.

I have shared this before, but it still amazes us.  I pondered why it matters so much and when we watched the segment on Dr. Motto's plan of intervention with his patients years ago, it made perfect sense.  The people at Mayo connect with their patients  They remember things about you that make you feel like they care.  And I believe for the most part they are sincere in their words and actions.

So what can we learn from this?  If the Mayo Clinic with all it's employees can show kindness and connection with the 1.3 million people who come for help each year, what can we do as individuals for those we rub shoulders with.  Can we be intentional in connecting with others, sharing a kind word or deed?  Our world would be a better place.  God has told us to love one another.....and we can do so one kind word at a time.  Intentional kindess is a good thing to practice.