Acts of kindness are like seeds that, when planted and nurtured, grow into strong and healthy relationships. Whether it’s bringing your partner their favourite coffee, leaving a love note, surprising them with something thoughtful, or doing a chore without being asked — these small gestures have the power to deepen connection and cultivate real appreciation.

But for me, acts of kindness have been few and far between in the past 50 years of my life. That’s exactly why I love to give: because kindness is my nature, not something I give in order to receive. I don’t give for reward, or approval, or validation. I give because generosity lives in me, even in places where it was never returned. And that, in itself, is a quiet kind of strength.