This film was produced in collaboration with Girls on Board, and Thorpe Hall and won the 2019 Premier Digital Award for best use of video.
Written and performed by Meg Cannon
Co-directed by Meg Cannon and James Chapman
Director of Photography: Sam Allam
In collaboration with The Paisley Productions
Transcript below.
Dare to care transcript
I sit there and I wonder whether kindness is dying.
Y’see we’re sitting in a coffee shop, her eyes are down, she’s crying
She tells me how they pushed her, threw stuff, spread rumours, lying.
‘I know I should just ignore it’ she said ‘It’s hard, but I’m trying’
And I see this lady by the side of the road,
She’s old, waiting there in the cold,
But no car, no person lets her by,
Why?
And I see words written online that are so unkind
Words that can leave a mark on your mind.
Unkindness
You see it everywhere
From violence and abuse to refusing to share,
To pushing someone out of the group or laughing at her hair
Or ignoring that person struggling over there.
The news is full of hate and sadness and corruption and war
I just don’t see kindness around much anymore.
But who am I to speak?
I’m often so unkind
I gossip and I’m selfish, it just comes naturally
But actually, recently, I’ve been feeling like I wanna change
Do you know what? Being kind… I’ve realised it’s actually brave and it’s strong,
When you offer your friendship to someone who doesn’t feel they belong
Or when you give your attention or when you give your time
In that moment, your light will shine.
We live in a world that says live for yourself
To compete and tread on others to get status or wealth
But could we push back against that darkness of competition and greed
And be kind, be thoughtful and look out for those in need.
What if we could be the generation to revive kindness.
Bring it back to life,
Give it back its breath
And save it from death
Treating others, as we’d like to be treated.
Living a life of kindness is an incredible way to life,
And when you make that daily choice you’ll gain more than you give
And soon, kindness will become a habit. A brilliant, beautiful habit.
I’m not saying it’s going to be easy,
There are going to be people that you don’t want to be kind to
But still give kindness
Against everything inside that says just walk past or hurt them back
Respond with kindness
One courageous act.
Why?
Because it will change you
And together we could change the world.
And in the end, we’ll see kindness everywhere
When we dare to care.
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