Opinion: This country would be far better if we tried to be kind like Adam King

Adam King is the hero we should all be listening to.

It'd be an understatement to say life is overwhelming at the moment. Living through this pandemic has not been easy, no matter what your situation. Some of us have suffered immense losses, others have been forced to grieve alone, many lost their jobs, their homes or were forced to give birth alone. The sheer level of grief weighing our island down is hard to even process. As we approach the holiday season, I can't help but wish for that pressure, that worry, and that fear to ease. If the public deserves anything after all we've been through then it is to feel even an ounce of joy, a dash of cheer, and some merriment, even if it is just for a day. Unfortunately, there's tension in the air. People are understandably fed up and angry. They're taking these feelings out on those closest to them or strangers who accidentally skip them in supermarket queues. They snap at the barista who messes up their coffee order and leave nasty comments on Instagram, without thinking of the impact it will have on the person reading it. If there's one thing I'd wish for this Christmas is for people to listen to Adele and go easy on me, and everyone else. People are still suffering, battling with grief and heartache, and trying to process this haunting pandemic that is still with us. We do not need to be clashing with one another over why nightclubs are open or why certain people can go to the pub and others can't. The sense of togetherness and community that held us up in the early days of the pandemic are long gone. We've now turned on one another and that support has waned dramatically. If this pandemic has taught us anything it's that life is far too short and unpredictable. None of us ever thought something like this would happen. I certainly didn't and it has completely altered the way I want to live however many years I've been granted. Are we seriously going to spend our time snapping, bitching, and arguing with people? We need to give up bickering with one another over clashing opinions on Facebook or leaving cruel comments about people we don't even know on Instagram. We've gone so long without seeing our loved ones, we've missed birthdays, celebrations and people are now missing from our reunions. Isn't it time to actually follow the Internet's favourite hashtag and be kind? Slapping it in your Instagran bio isn't enough, you actually need to follow it up with actions. It doesn't cost us a penny and your heart will genuinely feel a lot lighter when you give it a go. We need to be more like Adam King, the Toy Show star who stole all of our hearts last year. An Taoiseach described the young boy as an "inspiration" and I couldn't agree more. Adam's been through more health struggles than any of us could imagine but he hasn't let that stop him from being positive, kind, and hopeful. His 'Hug for You' card is a poignant reminder that sometimes all someone needs is a simple act of kindness. Isn't that the least our friends, our neighbours, our loved ones and even strangers deserve after all we've experienced since March 2020? We need to stop giving out, moaning and groaning about menial things and focus on the good. This pandemic, this horrible chapter has shown us that the time we have is too valuable to waste. Shouldn't we spend it wisely and focus on the good, focus on being kind and focus on making others feel like the world isn't full of dreariness. There is light amongst it if you look. We never truly know what someone is going through or how they're feeling. It's important to remember that even the happiest of people are struggling behind their smile so why not lean into kindness and be more like Adam King? This island would be far greater if adults were more like Adam King and took a leaf out of his book. American journalist Germany Kent once said, “Kindness is universal. Sometimes being kind allows others to see the goodness in humanity through you."