Dear Sir,

I am submitting this letter to coincide with the resolution of the Nicholl Scholarships for 2018. He was a great philanthropist for whom altruism was the motivating factor.

In October 2017, Khalid Wasi wrote in The Royal Gazette that “Nicholl was a shining example of how to serve humanity”. This alluded to the continuous contribution the late Albert Nicholl has been responsible for.

It is dedicated to the development of youth through education by virtue of annual scholarships within Bermuda.

“What does it profit a man should he gain the whole world and lose his soul” was attributed to him by Khalid as a mindset. Albert Nicholl took philanthropy to the optimum degree.

As the Nicholl Scholarships are set down for resolution at this time, I would like to make a contribution in the same vein with his mindset uppermost in my mind — “human kindness and a deep and abiding love of mankind”.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote; “You cannot do kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” He also added: “Be silly, be honest, be kind.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau: “What wisdom can you find that it is greater than kindness?”

Let us recall the recent royal wedding watched by two billion viewers worldwide. The Chicago bishop, the Right Reverend Michael Curry’s message: “Was the power of love to heal when nothing else can.” What a wonderful contribution to a troubled world, giving hope.

Altruism is a kind of love of our fellow man. This can be practised by “random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty”. (Anne Herbert, 1982).

Here are some suggestions in relation to practising random and unconditional acts of kindness to enhance each day for ourselves and for others:

• People need to hear how special they are

• Say “thank you” often

• Remember people’s names and use them (Dale Carnegie, 1923)

• Call someone you love and tell them that you love them

• Carry “thanks for making my day” cards to give to people who do

The Governor General of Australia, Sir William Deane, at the time of the bicentennial in 1988 declared that Australians distinguished themselves by their generosity of spirit, but in this “it is all about me” world, it seems to have ameliorated.

However, I am assured this is not the case in Bermuda. I am proud to be one of Albert Nicholl’s extended family, a fellow who gave wholeheartedly and was not looking for personal return. I take inspiration from that perspective and so do other family members. I am sure he would be pleased and let us try harder to be even kinder.

ANTHONY NICHOLL

Normanville, South Australia