♫ “We all need more kindness in this world.” ♫

When the group from California came to join CommunityPlus camp last year, one of the things they brought with them was a song. While very simple, it really resonates with me. “We all need more kindness in this world.” It is the sort of song where the group offers up words to replace “kindness” in the sentence when asked “What do we need more of in this world?”

This song became part of each morning gathering at kids camp.

There were few moments of intentional prayer throughout the couple of days together, but three songs were chosen together to be our expression of prayer: ‘Thank you Lord for this fine day,’ ‘We all need more kindness in this world,’ and ‘I am’ (I am. That I am. Child of God, I am, I am. Full of light, full of love, full of peace am I). Singing these songs together each morning became our moment of prayer.

As we sat on the floor on the last day of camp, kids shared their camp highlights of capture the flag and science experiments that related to the day’s scripture. Of campfires, marshmallows, and lantern making. Of many different and varied games, warm fuzzy writing and night owls. Of stories, singing, jailor and escape rooms. Of great food, washing up duty fun, cabins and making new friends. And then the question went out: “What do we need more of in this world?”

I could actually feel my heart cracking open, as with high-pitched, children’s voices they enthusiastically sang, “We all need more kindness in this world.” “We all need more friendship in this world.” “We all need more camps in this world.” “We all need more trees in this world.” “We all need more peace in this world. We all need more peace in this world. You can look high and low, but their ain’t no place to go. We all need more peace in this world.”

Kass Unger