30 Days 30 Kindnesses

I haven’t been feeling myself lately. Partly it’s the cold and ice and the early dark evenings—it’s hard to feel motivated. Mostly it’s the heartless news all around us: the ongoing genocide in Palestine, ICE raids in Minneapolis and in my own community, the unfathomable depravity of the Epstein files; the list goes on. I was listening to a podcast with Gisèle Pelicotyesterday; the level of evil is beyond sickening.

What do we do when the world feels so heavy?

For me, the answer comes today: Ramadan. It provides a much-needed invitation to reset and refocus, to reflect on what is good and kind, to turn my attention to gratitude, generosity, charity, and prayer.

Fifteen years ago I started a project called “30 Days” to share the spirit of Ramadan with my young children. Each year we’d choose a theme and practice it together. I paused the last couple of years, but today I decided to restart, with a theme that I think we can all benefit from.

30 Days. 30 Kindnesses.

For the next 30 days, I’ll share something about kindness—a small gesture someone extends to me, or one that I am fortunate enough to offer someone else; perhaps a story I come across that moves me or a quote that inspires. It won’t be curated or polished—but rather real, personal, organic, and present in the everyday moments.

When the world feels cruel, small acts of kindness can feel like acts of resistance. Kindness certainly won’t solve systemic evil. But it will remind us of our shared human bond—that we are dependent on each other.

I hope you’ll join me whether you’re celebrating Ramadan or not. No pressure to do anything grand. Just an invitation to notice kindness—to give it, to receive it, to pay attention to it. I’ll share daily on my Instagram—please follow along @salma.hasan.ali and share your kindnesses too.

I’ll start with an email from someone who received one of our KindSoups (this time, a kindchili) at a local shelter where we had dropped it off. For over five years, we’ve been cooking huge pots of soup weekly for those in need.

She wrote:

I just wanted to say thank you for this program. After the recent unexpected death of my spouse I have fallen on hard times. Today I was lucky enough to receive a very VERY delicious turkey pumpkin chili at the food bank. I heated it up and made some rice and me and my children had a wonderful dinner on this cold evening. We are very appreciative of the nice meal. Thank you so much.

It takes so little to offer a bit of kindness—cooking a meal to share; holding the door open just a few seconds longer for the next person; calling rather than texting to check on someone. It takes just a little effort to acknowledge someone else’s kindness; this note made my week.

It certainly won’t fix this broken world, but it might help us feel a little less alone, a little more connected. It might remind us that humankind can still be human and kind.

Wishing those celebrating a very meaningful and peaceful Ramadan.

With love and in kindness,

Salma

PS: If you’d like to explore the 30 Days project further, I compiled reflections from this practice in 30 Days: Stories of Gratitude, Traditions, and Wisdom. The accompanying 30 Days Journal allows you to write your own book of personal stories in 30 days. The books are handmade and include exquisite art and postcards and are discounted this month—a lovely accompaniment or gift for Ramadan. For more information or to order, please visit this page.