May 21

To believe in goodness, you must start doing it.

1

Adorn every passing day with a good deed.

2

Here is the best way to begin each day: when you wake up, think if it is possible to bring joy to at least one person today.

— Nietzsche

3

Goodness is our duty. The one who does it often and sees his good intentions realized ultimately begins to love the one for whom he did a good deed. The words “Love your neighbor as yourself” do not mean that you should love him right away and only afterwards do a good deed for him as a consequence of your love. No, you must do good deeds for your neighbor, and doing this will kindle in you a love for humankind, which will be the consequence of your actions that are directed towards the good.

— Kant

4

Goodwill is not good because of what it does—not because of its usefulness in achieving some specific goal—it is a good in itself; considered on its own, without any comparisons, it is much more valuable than anything that could ever be performed for someone’s benefit as its direct result, even for the benefit of all humankind. If, due to extraordinary misfortune or insufficient abilities, this will were wholly incapable of fulfilling its intentions, if it were unable to accomplish anything even after applying the greatest amount of effort, leaving only the goodwill (of course, not as a naked desire alone, but as an application of all possible means within our power), then even in this case such a will would still shine by itself as a precious diamond, as something that constitutes the greatest value in itself.

— After Kant

5

No one can understand goodness until he starts doing it. And no one can truly love it until he is doing it often and with sacrifice. And no one can find peace in it until he is doing it always.

— Martineau

6

If you have done an evil deed to your neighbor, even a small one, consider it great, whereas if you have done him a great good, consider it small; and when someone else does a small good deed to you, consider it great.

God’s blessing shall fall upon the one who gives to the poor; a double blessing will rest upon the one who also greets and bids farewell to the poor person with kindness.

— The Talmud

7

As you do good, be grateful for it.

8

Know firmly and feel deeply that you must dedicate every day of your life to the good of others, doing for them everything that you can. Doing, not talking.

— John Ruskin

If you cannot train yourself to search for opportunities to do good, the way a hunter seeks his prey, then at least do not miss the opportunity to do good when you come across one.