August 30, 2020: A Healing Gift of Kindness
Our country is barreling towards an increasingly, acrimonious political climate, with politicians resorting to brutal name calling and the spread of damaging misinformation to destroy the integrity and reputation of their opponents. The news in general seems to focus on the ugliness of our citizens towards each other, losing track of the fact we are essentially in a critical situation of a pandemic and racial divide together.
I have also watched in dismay at the amount of cruel and negative comments that seem to be flooding our editorials and social media posts. Strangers, aligned only by the internet, feel free to attack the beliefs of others; complicit in this current atmosphere, where it seems permissible to attack another, simply because of their beliefs.
A friend posted this week a question relating to this current practice of “no holds barred” in broadcasting one’s opinions. The question was this: “what ever happened to human kindness?”
I too have passionate beliefs in what I feel needs to happen in our country, but also respect the right of others for their own beliefs. I might totally disagree with another’s choice of action and/or candidate, but recognize their fundamental right to choose. I also believe in the value of compassion, the importance of truth, the gifts of tolerance and understanding, and most importantly the power of kindness.
When we were children, my mother used to paraphrase a quote from a character in the movie Bambi. It was Thumper’s mom who said, ” “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.” My updated version comes from the adage, before you say something ask yourself, “Is it kind? Is it necessary? Is it true?”
In the weeks to come, we will all have important decisions to make, ranging from choosing a presidential and state candidates, to whether or not to work from home or wear a mask to protect others in public places. But we can also choose how we respond to others in this time of challenge and uncertainty. It is too easy to judge another for their choices, but in order to heal our divided country, we need to begin with simple acts of kindness. Whether it’s reaching out to help a friend or stranger, or thinking carefully about the impact of our words and actions, each choice can make a difference in the life of another.
Throughout the ages the power of kindness has been recognized as a critical component for humanity. Here is a sampling of voices transcending time; from sources that range from prophets and scientists to actors and presidents.
“CONSTANT KINDNESS CAN ACCOMPLISH MUCH. AS THE SUN MAKES ICE MELT, KINDNESS CAUSES MISUNDERSTANDING, MISTRUST, AND HOSTILITY TO EVAPORATE”
Albert Schweitzer
“THE IDEALS WHICH HAVE LIGHTED MY WAY, AND TIME AFTER TIME HAVE GIVEN ME NEW COURAGE TO FACE LIFE CHEERFULLY, HAVE BEEN KINDNESS, BEAUTY, AND TRUTH”
Albert Einstein
“I’VE LEARNED THAT PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU SAID, PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU DID, BUT PEOPLE WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL”
Maya Angelou
“ATTITUDE IS A CHOICE. HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE. OPTIMISM IS A CHOICE. KINDNESS IS A CHOICE. GIVING IS A CHOICE. RESPECT IS A CHOICE. WHATEVER CHOICE YOU MAKE MAKES YOU. CHOOSE WISELY.”
Roy T. Bennett
“WE THINK TOO MUCH AND FEEL TOO LITTLE. MORE THAN MACHINERY, WE NEED HUMANITY. MORE THAN CLEVERNESS, WE NEED KINDNESS AND GENTLENESS.”
Charlie Chaplin
“HUMAN KINDNESS HAS NEVER WEAKENED THE STAMINA OR SOFTENED THE FIGURE OF A FREE PEOPLE. A NATION DOES NOT HAVE TO BE CRUEL TO BE TOUGH”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
“HOW LOVELY TO THINK THAT NO ONE NEED WAIT A MOMENT, WE CAN START NOW, START SLOWLY CHANGING THE WORLD! HOW LOVELY THAT EVERYONE, GREAT AND SMALL, CAN MAKE THEIR CONTRIBUTION TOWARD INTRODUCING JUSTICE STRAIGHTAWAY… AND YOU CAN ALWAYS, ALWAYS GIVE SOMETHING, EVEN IF IT IS ONLY KINDNESS!”
Anne Frank
“NO ACT OF KINDNESS IS TOO SMALL. THE GIFT OF KINDNESS MAY START AS A SMALL RIPPLE THAT OVER TIME CAN TURN INTO A TIDAL WAVE AFFECTING THE LIVES OF MANY.”
Kevin Heath
As always, thank you for reading our blog where our hope is to bring a sense of positivity to your day. Please feel free to share this with someone who might find it meaningful. We welcome your thoughts and invite you to share any inspirational quotes you find that would fit this topic.
For more inspiring quotes on kindness: https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/kindness-quotes
Donna MacLeanAugust 30, 2020
Well said. If only people would think before saying or acting on something. A simple holding a door or saying thank you goes a long way. I had a young gentlemen offer to walk me to the entrance to the mall because it was raining and I did not have an umbrella. He was coming out of the mall. I was totally blown away by his kindness. Kindness does not hurt. We should all practice it.
WendyAugust 30, 2020
Thanks so much Donna for reading our blog and your thoughtful comments. Can you imagine how different our current world would be if we practiced being kind. Like a ripple on a lake, it spreads out, impacting both the giver and the receiver.