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Last week I declared war on heavy backpacks for our kids in school. Judging from the response I got, that one met with universal agreement.

This week I'm declaring “peace.”

Hokey as it sounds, today, Sunday, Feb. 7, do something unexpectedly nice for somebody.

Anything works.

Early this week I was at a high school basketball game (no surprise there -- this time of year, it's what I do). The opposing team had a player who I thought really played well.

I've seen enough games that I can enjoy solid performances from the other team and admire good players that happen to be wearing the jersey of the opposition. Like Julian Burton for the Memphis White Station football team that beat the Maryville Rebels in the state championship game.

This young basketball player was a bit different. Not very big, he was probably 5-foot-11, 165 pounds -- he just wasn't of the mold that we generally think of when we visualize an outstanding basketball player. He played wing and point guard for his team.

He was deceptively quick with a shot that maybe should have a little quicker release but, oh my, could he shoot. I think he started the game with three straight 3-pointers.

In the second half, his coach put the ball in his hands to control the game and his team's lead. He did the former well and certainly accomplished the latter as his team beat my team.

Some time in the second half, I saw a man step out of the stands to hand this young man a sports drink. I assumed it was his dad -- there were certain physical similarities there.

After the game, I stopped the fellow and asked if indeed that was his son out there. He said it was. I told him that his son played well, and I admired the way he played the game and conducted himself on the court.

The dad beamed.

I think I made his day, but that's not really why I did it.

Today I got one of those chain-letter e-mail messages about someone that showed kindness and how it later was returned to them many times over. A kid was contemplating suicide when a kind act changed his mind.

Years later, the one that delivered that kindness discovered the impact his act had. He never knew. Maybe it's a true story and maybe it's not, but the point is that we never know what the impact of our actions might be, good or bad. But if your heart is right and you are always kind, you have to believe it will all work out. It is never wrong to do the right thing.

So today is the day to show kindness to someone.

Oh, and it makes it better if the person might not seem to deserve it. And better yet if they never know who delivered it. Random acts of kindness make the world a better place (you can quote me on that one).

Joe Black, PT, DPT, SCS, ATC is a physical therapist and athletic trainer at Total Rehabilitation and is Manager of Outpatient Rehabilitation for Blount Memorial Hospital. Write to him at joeblackdpt@gmail.com