Dear Readers: Presidents Day isn't the flashiest holiday. There are no fireworks, no heart-shaped chocolates, no songs you can't escape in the grocery store. It tends to arrive with a shrug, a long weekend and a mysterious sale on mattresses.

But I've always liked it for what it can quietly be: a reminder to think about character.

Not the big, dramatic kind that shows up in movies. The everyday kind. The kind you practice in slippers.

Because real life is happening in kitchens, carpools, offices, hospitals, schools and living rooms. And most of what holds us together doesn't come with applause.

It looks like the parent who keeps showing up, even when they're exhausted. The friend who calls back. The neighbor who shovels the extra walkway without being asked. The co-worker who says, "I've got this," when you're stretched thin. The teenager who stands up for someone being teased, even though it costs them social points. The person who admits they were wrong and tries again. That last one may be the rarest form of bravery we have.

If you're feeling discouraged lately, consider this your holiday reset: You don't have to do something huge to make a difference.

You can steady your little corner of the world with small, stubborn decency.

And it's often the smallest things that land the biggest impact: A teacher who learns a student's name quickly. A stranger who returns a dropped glove. A family member who says, "Tell me again, I want to understand," instead of "We've been over this." A person who doesn't just offer help but offers (SET ITAL(specific help: "I can pick up the kids Tuesday," or "I can sit with you at the appointment," or "I'm bringing soup, and no, you don't have to clean first."

Hold a door. Offer a sincere apology. Tip well. Let someone merge. Put your phone down when someone is talking. Write the thank-you note you keep meaning to write. Check on the person who "seems fine." Invite the quiet one into the conversation. Be the first to soften. Assume good intent once, and choose a calmer response even when you could win the argument.

None of this makes headlines. But it makes home.

And if your home is shaky, if your heart is heavy, if you're doing your best and wondering whether it matters, let me tell you something in plain language: It matters more than you think. Kindness is never wasted. It goes somewhere. Sometimes it goes right back to you when you least expect it.

So, your simple assignment for the long weekend is to be the kind of person you wish you saw more of. Then do it again tomorrow.

"Out of Bounds: Estrangement, Boundaries and the Search for Forgiveness" is out now! Annie Lane's third anthology is for anyone who has lived with anger, estrangement or the deep ache of being wronged — because forgiveness isn't for them. It's for you. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Follow Annie Lane on Instagram at @dearannieofficial. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].

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