Powerful essay written by 10-year-old Gia Forston about how her ministry of collecting socks for Love INC has impacted her life.

Have you ever experienced an act of kindness in your life? Some people have been on the receiving end of a kind act or, if you are lucky enough, you get to do a kind act for others. The memorable act of kindness that stands out to me is collecting socks every year. I thought it was just collecting some socks but it has affected me in many ways. 

The first way this has impacted me is because it taught me to be thankful for what I have. Some people are not as lucky as I am. I do not have to worry about having socks that are clean, holey, or fit. I do not have to really worry about this because my parents make sure that I have what I need. Before this, I used to not really notice how important socks are for people because they do not have the money or someone to count on. At first I thought it was just about collecting socks but now I understand how important socks can be for someone. 

Now let me tell you about why collecting socks to give to people that need that has such an impact. People who are less fortunate or going through time can feel like no one is there for them. They would feel sad, disappointed, angry, depressed and want to just not even try. But, when they receive a new pair of clean socks that fit or match your outfit it will raise their self-esteem. Just think about the last time you put on a fresh pair of socks. Wouldn’t you agree that they made you feel good? 

The last reason that this act of kindness has impacted me so greatly is because I have learned how important it is to help others. I have seen how people who are in need of help have reacted when someone else has helped them. I also saw how it made the person who was doing the kind act feel. For example, I saw my mom and her friends volunteer at a homeless shelter where they prepared and served food to people who came for a hot meal and a place to sleep. The people who came in showed how thankful they were by smiling, talking, and laughing. I also saw how it made my mom and her friends smile, talk, and laugh. Since I was there I also got to help and had these same feelings. 

I wanted to keep helping others after experiencing this great feeling. The way to do this was to start collecting socks yearly for an organization called Love INC. Love INC supports families and the homeless in my community. This act of kindness has changed me for the better. How could you help your community?