I wondered for a while about the essence of life, about what drives us forward. Many would fill the space with: family, love, happiness, and etc.
I myself believe that the essence of life is the betterment of oneself, which could be achieved on so many levels, like kindness. And there's a quote that’s been taunting me in a positive way, it says, “Have courage and be kind." – Cinderella movie. (Thank you Disney for your wisdom)
And I wonder what would life be if we were both kind and courageous. I wonder about the number of lives that could be changed. I wonder how a complimentary smile would washout a stranger's blue mood; how words like thank you or hello have a powerful effect on you. And then I wonder how easy it is to own it.
You desire to be loved. You desire to be appreciated, and you desire to be respected. But how would we expect what follows without giving it and showing it to others. Kindness is contagious. And having the courage to spread it doesn't make you weak or dumb like what others believe it is. I’ve been told many times that my unknowing kindness was going to be the origin of my decay. “You’re so kind.” they’d say, like it was a form of pity, like it was a bad thing. And I wondered whether being kind was a damaging trait, because the next thing I knew was that being kind was as similar as being dumb. And I get the whole “people will run over you concept”. I get it. We all do. But should it be an excuse to act differently?
What is the cost of kindness? What would it take you to be kind? Two thousand dollars? Yes? Let me prepare you a check. Perhaps book you a flight ticket to Bali, and from there, push you out of the plane, because honestly you are missing out on a great possibility of changing the world, because to change the world, all you have to do is change one life. Kindness is the greater gift everyone can afford to give.
In this new sprinting world, kindness and sympathy take a backseat to self-interest, narcissism, and expendable human interactions all in the drive of achieving success, fame, and wealth. It’s either your surrounded by fake acts or upfront ruthlessness. It’s either you’re mocked in front of your colleagues for your-what’s-called dump answer or because your superior just feels like being a dipshit. What would you get out of it? A wholesome sense of fulfillment or perhaps using negative reinforcement as a teaching method is the best way to go. Stop confusing “tough love” with breaking spirits. It’s not the way to go.
Kindness is power, it is intelligence, and it is compassion. It’s all of us together. It’s beyond us all. Own it like an attitude, and spread it like air. “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop.
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