The Math Of Kindness
What if kindness worked like multiplication?
What if light spread the same way word of mouth does: one person to another, and then another, and then another?
Let’s imagine a “Be the Light” strategy modeled from Holy Moments by Matthew Kelly.
You start as one person. Just you. You choose kindness. You practice courage. You show up with light.
Then you teach three other people how to do the same — not through a lecture, but through your presence, your example, your way of being. Now there are four of you.
Those three each teach three more. Suddenly there are thirteen.
Those thirteen teach three more. Now there are forty.
And it keeps going…1,093. Thousands. Hundreds of thousands. Millions.
By the time you reach cycle 12, you’ve influenced more people than live in the entire city of Arlington, Virginia. By cycle 14, you’ve reached the combined population of Philadelphia and Austin. By cycle 16, you’ve surpassed New York City, Chicago, and New Orleans combined.
And here’s where it gets unbelievable: With fewer than twenty-one cycles, just twenty-one moments of passing the light forward, you reach more than fifteen billion people. Twice the global population.
That’s the math of kindness. That’s the math of Be the Light.
Light multiplies faster than darkness. Kindness scales quicker than cruelty. Goodness expands beyond the boundaries we can see.
One person choosing to be the light can quite literally change the world.
Not metaphorically. Mathematically.
Neuroscience supports this truth. When we experience or witness kindness, our brains release oxytocin and serotonin, chemicals that regulate trust, belonging, and well-being. But what’s even more remarkable is moral elevation, the phenomenon where seeing kindness inspires us to act kindly, too. The effect isn’t symbolic; it’s biological. That means every smile, every word of encouragement, every act of grace carries within it a ripple of chemistry that spreads far beyond what we see. Kindness is exponential. It’s contagious. And it’s measurable.
So if you ever feel small, or question whether your kindness matters, remember this: It only takes one spark to begin a chain reaction that can reach the entire planet in less than twenty-one steps.
5 Ways to Be the Light
Start the equation. One small act — a note, a smile, a kind word — begins the multiplication.
Model the message. People don’t need more lectures on kindness; they need examples of it in action.
Invite others in. Ask three people to join you in one intentional act of kindness this week.
Notice the ripple. Reflect on how kindness has found its way back to you — proof that it multiplies.
Keep passing it forward. Even when no one’s watching, keep shining. The light always travels farther than you think.
If you can’t find the light, be the light — and watch what happens next. Remember, kindness isn’t one more thing, it’s the thing that changes everything.
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