Kindness itself is a selfless act done for the benefit of others. As Amelia Earhart once said, “A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees." I agree.

Kindness is contagious, no matter how insignificant or significant the act may be. In my case, one small dictionary changed my life forever. It encouraged me to be the new tree, to be the impact, to be the catalyst of action for others.

Approximately eight years ago, my family returned to the United States after living in China and relocated to the town where I reside today. I was a stranger in a strange land. With the language barrier, I was unable to communicate effectively or make any friends. Yet, this fact made me even more determined to master English.

On a Wednesday afternoon, my third grade teacher was giving a spelling lesson, and all my other classmates had the required dictionary. I had joined the class late in the school year and, therefore, didn't have a dictionary in my possession. Fortunately, my teacher saw the embarrassed look on my face and quickly came over to me. I attempted to point to other students' dictionaries and made a few gestures and utterances. To my relief, she understood and brought me her dictionary. After the class concluded, I tried to give the dictionary back to her; however she put it back in my hands and typed something into her laptop. I was about to turn away when she attempted to say "Gei ni" in Mandarin, which means "to give you." I was surprised and quickly expressed my gratitude.

As that fateful school day ended, I brought that dictionary home with me. Throughout my years of primary education, it accompanied me as a loyal friend, weathering time and the elements. I can say with absolute confidence that without that dictionary, I would never have developed my love for writing poetry or any other type of creative writing.

Without my third grade teacher's kindness, I would have never become truly passionate about words. It was her kindness that inspired me to start a creative writing club in my high school where passionate writers could share their love of words.

To this day, I firmly believe that by sharing kindness and encouraging kindness in others, we can fill the world with the shade and roots of our trees.