About this quote

Goodness that stops at the edge of convenience has never really been tested. Widening the circle of care to include animals and the small, voiceless creatures around us is a fair measure of it — kindness counts for little if it only extends to those who can thank or repay you.

When to use it

• Slowing the car to let a family of ducks finish crossing instead of honking through.
• A gardener who plants for the bees, not just for the tidy look of the yard.
• A child taught to carry a spider outside rather than step on it.