Steve Horne reckons kindness will take you a long way in life.
Simple acts of kindness are the subject of his blog ‘A Glass Full of Water’ that has garnered readership from around the world.
“I see myself not as an influencer, but an encourager; someone that would like to help people to uncover kindness, take off the layers of cynicism and division,” Steve says.
“My motivation is people; I’m fascinated by people. I think there are amazing people doing amazing things.”
Steve started his blog last year and has written over 70 posts about acts of kindness he sees or hears about and of his own kindness contributions.
“I just write and then see what happens. I think kindness is infinite. I don’t know when, who or what I will write, but I always manage to find something to write about.”
A semi-retired teacher, Steve moved with his wife Val to Raglan seven years ago and now works part-time at Te Uku Primary School.
Steve credits Val with helping him on his kindness journey and says he grew up in a family where being kind was just what you did.
“Mum was a very kind person; kindness is a legacy both Mum and Dad left. I was privileged to know love and laughter in my family.”
Living in Raglan also inspires his kindness musings.
“We have a caring, inclusive, diverse community in Raglan. What a neat community to belong to. I’ve written about the free pantry, which we love to see people come and go from. And Brian, the guy who died, with the dog – I wrote about how the community bought him a van.”
He writes from the heart and hopes his words will touch others.
“I write what I think readers need, not what they necessarily want. It’s huge difference. I don’t write to be flavour of the month. There are going to be some stories that people are going to disagree with. That’s fine, but I’m putting it out there anyway,” he says.
And while Steve uses words to express kindness he says, “Actions are more important than words to me”.
Steve is no stranger to writing, having penned his first book ‘The Trouble with Twins’, a memoir about his adventures with his twin brother Chris.
He has also worked and taught in short term education/humanitarian aid projects in Africa and India.
Check out his blog at aglassfullofwater.blogspot.com and pick up a copy of The Trouble with Twins at Raglan iHub, Raglan Old School Arts Centre, Zinnia and Made.
by Janine Jackson
