"One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth the doing is what we do for others." -Lewis Carroll
What does kindness mean to you?
To me it means treating every living thing- whether person, animal, or the Earth itself, with respect. Among people most of all, it doesn't matter what socio-economic class they belong to, what race, religion, or political group they identify with, what language they speak, or what values they hold, even if they differ from mine, I think to be treat them all with kindness is the right thing to do.
It's not always easy, especially when people can inflict hate for no apparent reason at all. Sometimes kindness means intervening when hate begins to encroach on other people's human rights.
Being kind is not weak, rather it is having the strength to be good, and choosing the right thing, even when outside influences may make that difficult. It means being able to sacrifice some comfort for myself, so that others can be more comfortable.
I love this quote: Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. (I think the words belong to Plato)
ReplyDeleteThere are those who mistake kindness for weakness...probably the ones who are unkind and have their own 'hidden agendas'.
I like that quote too, you just never know what people are going through.
DeleteBeing kind definitely takes the ultimate strength. If you don't believe that, you've never been a parent (or pet parent). LOL. I'm a firm believer that whatever good you put out into the world, it will come back to you in some form or another--yet another to be kind and treat others better than we expect them to treat us.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree! Going through life that way is so much more satisfactory.
DeleteBeing kind was not always easy for me. It was something I had to learn to do because I grew up in a crowded area where people were always on the move and in a hurry. I've since learned to give back was so freely given to me by volunteering and it's done my heart good many times over. I love that you're taking the time to write about it. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI had to learn it too! Going through life angry and self-absorbed leads only to frustration, while being kind and showing empathy brings great joy.
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