52x52: Wear A Badge

52 random acts of kindness that each take under 52 seconds. One action each week, over a year takes less than an hour of your life.

Yesterday some of the main streets of London were a little fuller, with 20,000 others (including myself) on a Stand Up to Racism demonstration. 

That we live in a society where such a number of us can take over the main shopping streets of London on a busy Saturday and that we can march down the roads of those streets waving banners, holding placards, singing songs, playing music, chanting for equality, fairness and freedom is a privilege. It is inspiring to see so many people, so creatively demonstrate their commitment to making the world a better place. 

And you don't have to carry a placard or wave a banner. It's surprising what just wearing a badge can do. It says something and it says it all the time, whether it is on your coat or bag or bicycle or laptop, it is a tiny act of kindness. It is saying something along the lines of :'I want a better world for everyone and here's a suggestion how we could go about it'. Who knows who will read it and be changed and/or inspired.

I remember some years ago a woman admired the badges on my bag and said to me:

'They speak even when you don't'

So, to give others a voice and to be heard even when you are not speaking - wear a badge.

Badges from January 2011