Kind Applause

Kind Applause

Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV

My daughter Jasmine has loved to dance since she was a little girl, so we researched dance studios in our area to find the one best suited to her. As winter came, we decided to attend a special performance put on by the studio, showcasing all the dancers who would be performing solo or in small groups for the upcoming spring competition season.

The dance numbers were moving along beautifully when one young girl got up to do her dance. Several moments into her performance she froze, unsure of what to do next, seemingly forgetting her next move. As the crowd realized what was happening, they began to applaud, offering her encouragement to continue. The girl began to cry, the music stopped, and we heard Ms. Melinda (her coach and the owner of the studio) above the crowd’s cheering, encouraging this girl that she could do it and coaxing her to start again.

I watched as the young girl walked off to the side of the stage, where her coach hugged her, offered her reassurance, and sent her back out. The music started again, and people began to cheer loudly. When the dancer reached the part where she’d frozen in fear, you could hear Melinda’s voice above the crowd, shouting, “Get it, girl!” And she did. As the applause increased, many were on their feet, and she finished her dance with a huge smile of success on her face. I had tears in my eyes from the support all these parents offered to this young dancer.

Sometimes encouragement can be hard to come by, especially when we make mistakes. We live in a world where failure is often avoided at all costs, and success in everything is what we strive for. But the reality is, we all fail at some point. When we encourage one another and build each other up, especially after a failure, we demonstrate some of the greatest kindness we can show to another person.

—Kendra

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Offer encouragement to someone who has been discouraged or experienced a failure lately.