---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's no use doing a kindness if you do…"
description: "\"There's no use doing a kindness if you do it a day too late.\" — Charles Kingsley"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/charles-kingsley-1896_generosity_there-s-no-use-doing-a-kindness-if-you-d_1024412.png"
---

#  There's no use doing a kindness if you do it a day too late.

![“There's no use doing a kindness if you do it a day too late.” quote by Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/charles-kingsley-1896_generosity_there-s-no-use-doing-a-kindness-if-you-d_1024412.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/charles-kingsley-1896_generosity_there-s-no-use-doing-a-kindness-if-you-d_1024412.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/charles-kingsley-1896_generosity_there-s-no-use-doing-a-kindness-if-you-d_1024412.png)

> “There's no use doing a kindness if you do it a day too late.”

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Kindness loses impact if it arrives after the moment of need, rendering it ineffective.

**In simple terms:** Late kindness is less effective.

Key Takeaway

Act promptly when you can help.

Themes

ethics timing compassion

Mood

thoughtful urgent

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- volunteering
- emergency aid
- daily interactions

Key Concepts

human behavior social impact empathy

Questions to Reflect On

- When have you missed a chance to help?
- How does timing affect generosity?

A Different Perspective

Kindness delayed may be perceived as insincere.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Kindness Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness-day/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/)

## Related quotes

> [I work for three or four hours a day, in the late morning and early afternoon. Then I go out for a walk and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/i-work-for-three-or-four-hours-a-day-in-the-late-morning-and-early/)

[J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/)

> [It is a good and safe rule to sojourn in every place as if you meant to spend your life there, never omitting an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-a-good-and-safe-rule-to-sojourn-in-every-place-as-if-you-meant/)

[John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/)

> [Doing a kindness produces the single most reliable momentary increase in well-being of any exercise we have tested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/doing-a-kindness-produces-the-single-most-reliable-momentary-increase/)

[Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/)

> [“Love is doing a kindness for someone else, not expecting to receive anything in return.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/love-is-doing-a-kindness-for-someone-else-not-expecting-to-receive/)

[Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/)

> [I'm trying to show by my actions that you can make a far better world if you just care enough. That's all you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-williams/i-m-trying-to-show-by-my-actions-that-you-can-make-a-far-better-world/)

[Betty Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-williams/)

> [Practice kindness all day to everybody and you will realize you're already in heaven now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/practice-kindness-all-day-to-everybody-and-you-will-realize-you-re/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [“Schedule kindness in your day. Watch how small acts of  kindness can change your mood, bring someone else joy, and give both of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/schedule-kindness-in-your-day-watch-how-small-acts-of-kindness-can/)

[Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/)

> [I'm not going to be around forever so don't be one day to late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/i-m-not-going-to-be-around-forever-so-don-t-be-one-day-to-late/)

[Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/)

> [I receive kindness every day. I love to smile when I'm out and about, and if someone smiles back, which happens about half the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-the-eagle/i-receive-kindness-every-day-i-love-to-smile-when-i-m-out-and-about/)

[Eddie the Eagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-the-eagle/)

> [Kindness Day should be everyday of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patsy-kensit/kindness-day-should-be-everyday-of-your-life/)

[Patsy Kensit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patsy-kensit/)

> [Extend an act of kindness each day. No one has to know. It can be a smile, reassuring words, a small favor - without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/extend-an-act-of-kindness-each-day-no-one-has-to-know-it-can-be-a/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [To say that on a daily basis you can make a difference, well, you can. One act of kindness a day can do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-williams/to-say-that-on-a-daily-basis-you-can-make-a-difference-well-you-can/)

[Betty Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-williams/)

> [One day you'll wake up and realize u care ..one day you'll miss but I won't be there ...one day you'll finally call but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-king/one-day-you-ll-wake-up-and-realize-u-care-one-day-you-ll-miss-but-i/)

Robin King

> [Do one act of kindness each day of the year and change 365 lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-d-williams/do-one-act-of-kindness-each-day-of-the-year-and-change-365-lives/)

[Anthony D. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-d-williams/)

> [Kindness Day? Kindness Day? Do you suppose if we were kind and enthusiastic for centuries uninterruptedly, that someone would create 'Nasty, Indifferent Day'?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patch-adams/kindness-day-kindness-day-do-you-suppose-if-we-were-kind-and/)

[Patch Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patch-adams/)

## More by Charles Kingsley

> [A fine lady; by which term I wish to express the result of that perfect education in taste and manner, down to every gesture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/a-fine-lady-by-which-term-i-wish-to-express-the-result-of-that/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [If I am ever obscure in my expressions, do not fancy that therefore I am deep. If I were really deep, all the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/if-i-am-ever-obscure-in-my-expressions-do-not-fancy-that-therefore-i/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [Those clouds are angels' robes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/those-clouds-are-angels-robes/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [He was one of those men who possess almost every gift, except the gift of the power to use them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/he-was-one-of-those-men-who-possess-almost-every-gift-except-the-gift/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [Do you feel that you have lost your way in life? Then God Himself will show you your way. Are you utterly helpless, worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/do-you-feel-that-you-have-lost-your-way-in-life-then-god-himself-will/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [My friends, let us try to follow the Saviour's steps; let us remember all day long what it is to be men; that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/my-friends-let-us-try-to-follow-the-saviour-s-steps-let-us-remember/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [We have used the Bible as if it was a mere special constable's handbook — an opium-dose for keeping beasts of burden patient while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/we-have-used-the-bible-as-if-it-was-a-mere-special-constable-s/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [He was not only, I soon discovered, a water drinker, but a strict vegetarian, to which, perhaps, he owed a great deal of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/he-was-not-only-i-soon-discovered-a-water-drinker-but-a-strict/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [Look at the bow in the cloud, in the very rain itself. That is a sign that the sun, though you cannot see it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/look-at-the-bow-in-the-cloud-in-the-very-rain-itself-that-is-a-sign/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [Beauty is God's handwriting — a wayside sacrament; welcome it in every fair face, every fair sky, every fair flower, and thank for it Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/beauty-is-god-s-handwriting-a-wayside-sacrament-welcome-it-in-every/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [Men must work, and women must weep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/men-must-work-and-women-must-weep/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [... the heroism of the average mother. Ah! When I think of that broad fact, I gather hope again for poor humanity; and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/the-heroism-of-the-average-mother-ah-when-i-think-of-that-broad-fact/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [“Except a living man there is nothing more wonderful than a book. A message to us from the dead - from human souls we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/except-a-living-man-there-is-nothing-more-wonderful-than-a-book-a/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/be-good-sweet-maid-and-let-who-will-be-clever/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [Music has been called the speech of the angels; I will go farther and call it the speech of God Himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/music-has-been-called-the-speech-of-the-angels-i-will-go-farther-and/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

[Explore all 199 Charles Kingsley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

## More Generosity quotes

> [The greatest charity you can contribute to is yourself. Instead of spending a dollar to help feed hungry children, why not spend that dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-greatest-charity-you-can-contribute-to-is-yourself-instead-of/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/)

[Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/)

> [I would have none of that rigid circumspect charity which is never done without scrutiny, and which always mistrusts the truth of the necessities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-massillon/i-would-have-none-of-that-rigid-circumspect-charity-which-is-never/)

[Jean Baptiste Massillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-massillon/)

> [I'm publicist, patron of nine charities, creative director, food consultant, recipe developer - and mum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-monroe/i-m-publicist-patron-of-nine-charities-creative-director-food/)

[Jack Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-monroe/)

> [The next time you're looking at a charity, don't ask about the rate of their overhead. Ask about the scale of their dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-next-time-you-re-looking-at-a-charity-don-t-ask-about-the-rate-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Businesses acting as businesses, not as charitable donors, are the most powerful force for addressing the pressing issues society face(s)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-elumelu/businesses-acting-as-businesses-not-as-charitable-donors-are-the-most/)

Tony Elumelu

> [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/)

F. A. Harper

> [Capitalists have done more good for society through their charitable giving, philanthropy and generosity than all their critics combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/capitalists-have-done-more-good-for-society-through-their-charitable/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [I think more and more people are becoming much more sensitive to what they do with their money when they die, especially if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/i-think-more-and-more-people-are-becoming-much-more-sensitive-to-what/)

[Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/)

> [Children must early learn the the beauty of generosity. They are taught to give what they prize most, that they may taste the happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/children-must-early-learn-the-the-beauty-of-generosity-they-are/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I was always clear that I didn't want to just do pure charity. My thinking was definitely about looking at the levers in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohini-nilekani/i-was-always-clear-that-i-didn-t-want-to-just-do-pure-charity-my/)

[Rohini Nilekani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohini-nilekani/)

> [Love doesnt stake claims. It is free for the giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-minagar/love-doesnt-stake-claims-it-is-free-for-the-giving/)

[Melody Minagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-minagar/)

> [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [“Secure-attachment 7Rs show more generosity than average. Thus 7R has something to do with generosity—but its effect is entirely context dependent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/secure-attachment-7rs-show-more-generosity-than-average-thus-7r-has/)

[Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/)

[Browse all 3,867 Generosity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "There's no use doing a kindness if you do it a day too late.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Charles Kingsley"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/there-s-no-use-doing-a-kindness-if-you-do-it-a-day-too-late/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Generosity"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/there-s-no-use-doing-a-kindness-if-you-do-it-a-day-too-late/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/charles-kingsley-1896_generosity_there-s-no-use-doing-a-kindness-if-you-d_1024412.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/charles-kingsley-1896_generosity_there-s-no-use-doing-a-kindness-if-you-d_1024412.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/charles-kingsley-1896_generosity_there-s-no-use-doing-a-kindness-if-you-d_1024412.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There's no use doing a kindness if you do it a day too late.” — Charles Kingsley",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Charles Kingsley",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "There's no use doing a kindness...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/there-s-no-use-doing-a-kindness-if-you-do-it-a-day-too-late/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/there-s-no-use-doing-a-kindness-if-you-do-it-a-day-too-late/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
