The recent Gallup study provides one of the strongest pieces of evidence I have seen in recent years for why Missouri Good Neighbor Week should continue to focus on celebrating, recognizing, and making acts of neighboring visible. The survey suggests that kindness is not simply something people do; it is something people learn and repeat after seeing it modeled by others . Key Findings from the Gallup Study The survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults found that: 60% of Americans say they often or very often see people treating others with kindness and respect.  65% say they personally experienced an act of kindness from someone in their community within the past week. People who experience kindness are significantly more likely to feel comfortable initiating kindness toward strangers themselves. Nearly 8 in 10 people who frequently received kindness said they were very comfortable extending kindness to others. Americans who regularly witness kindness are much more likely to ...

For our family, Christmas wouldn’t feel right without watching It’s a Wonderful Life . This movie isn’t just about Christmas—it’s about how people can help each other and build a loving, strong community, neighborhood, or church family. I once read something by a teacher named Professor Ray Carney. He said the movie shows that life can feel like a happy picture from a storybook. But he also thought the movie was sad because George Bailey, the main character, didn’t get to chase his big dreams. He stayed in his hometown, married a girl he already knew, and never traveled the world. The professor called George a lonely and sad character. That idea doesn’t make sense to me. George Bailey isn’t sad—he’s the richest man in town! Not because of money, but because he cared about people, helped them, and stood up for what was right. He gave his best to his family and friends, and that’s what really matters. Sure, George never got to visit Europe, but he wasn’t just wandering through life like ...