The Kindness Quotient

By SJ Mackay

The Power of Choice 

Eddie Wright is an agent of change with a valuable currency called positivity. He feeds his insatiable curiosity by exploring the roadmaps of ones inner and outer life.  In particular, he’s curious about the impact mindfulness has upon human beings and communities at large. 

“Kindness is a currency, a form of love.” Eddie says.  He’s seen the extremes of life as a Marine and as a struggling teen; he’s adamant about the power of kindness and mindfulness in the midst of adversity. 

He knows intimately that great challenges offer deeper insight. Eddie faced one such moment in Iraq when he and his team were ambushed during his second deployment. Riding in the lead Humvee in a convoy patrolling south of Fallujah, a rocket-propelled grenade hit Wright's automatic rifle and exploded taking both of Eddie’s arms and spraying pieces of shrapnel and metal into the air. He recalls thinking, “Damn, both arms?” Despite being critically wounded, he remained in the fight with his team out of loyalty and love for his fellow Marines. 

In one memorable moment, Eddie pivoted and changed his life trajectory through mindfulness. After returning from deployment and while recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, he was with a group of Marines who had figuratively separated themselves between those with a positive attitude and those with a negative one. He chose the positive side. Sgt. Wright despite his colorful past and his new disability embraced  positivity to carry him through this new chapter in his life.

“When we can choose kindness and love in the face of anger and danger, wow!" Eddie says. "Now that’s powerful!”

Eddie relates to people as equal human beings with valuable insights to impart. He travels with his life partner, Alder Wright, who shares a passion for the undiscovered abundant and magical gifts of life. Eddie speaks nationally and internationally about his life experiences and losing parts of himself only to gain deeper insights. 

His upbringing in West Seattle provided a community foundation that was at times tumultuous, yet rich with experience. Since the 40s, generations of the Wright family have called West Seattle home, his grandfather and father both were born and raised in the neighborhood.  As a young boy, he surrounded himself with suffering and negativity; he’s experienced the ramifications and now turns to the power of positivity. Eddie recognizes that the only aspect of life he can control is his mindset, “what happens between the ears."

"I focus my energies to be positive and use my powers for good,” he explains. His curiosity about mindfulness reflects his desire to spread positivity to benefit those who suffer.

Today, on the front lines  of life, Eddie looks to the leaders in his community. His experience in the Marine Corp taught him that leadership makes all the difference on our wellbeing. If a community is under poor leadership, it causes people to feel isolated, not open. “It’s important to be responsible to be good leaders, which is more important than any other political agenda. A good leader leads with integrity and genuine concern,” Eddie said. 

“What I’m super curious about is how to help people step entirely in their greatness, Eddie says, Always look at yourself first and the barriers you inadvertently create; to have a little self-doubt can create big barriers.”

Eddie embodies continuous transformation towards peace and love. The benefits of positivity are in plain sight like rich nutrient soil patiently present, waiting, drawn toward renewal, growth and sustenance.