Kindness

Kindness is the act or the state of being kind. 
Being marked by good and charitable behaviour, a pleasant disposition and concern for others. 
Kindness is known as a virtue, and it is recognised as valuable in many cultures and religions.

When someone holds a door for you, when someone sees you have your hands full and they offer to help, these are those little kindnesses that happen some days and you thank them and go on about your day and probably don't think about it again.
When someone does something a bit more out of the ordinary, you might notice and remember it for longer.

A long time ago, in a land far away, my child was injured in a highway crash.
From the very beginning , from the first person who helped her to the last person to see her on her way home, she and we were treated with unbelievable kindness.
Every day , here where I live, in a city that is jammed with people and cars and dogs and noise and theft and did I mention dogs ? there are still days when I am amazed at how kind everyone is.
Not just the occasional kind act but the kindness I witness, the kindness I see every day.

We all appreciate it when someone is kind to us or someone we love.
But we all should appreciate it when someone is kind to everyone. 
When someone can be described as A Kind Person. 

I   recently read something that brought this all to mind.
I read something by someone who was terribly unkind. 
And open about it, almost bragging about it . 
The reason is really unknown, you read things and you figure them out from your own point of view.
You can agree but still acknowledge that things could have been said differently or not at all.
Or you can be appalled at the feeling of righteousness that a person will have when so sure of their right to be unkind.

This all makes me very philosophical ! 
It makes me remember that as much as I am aware of being kind and appreciating it in others, I / we can all use a reminder now and then.

Be Kind.

You have no idea what it might mean to the other person.
You have no idea what other people are going through and you should just stop a second and think .. before you speak, before you act .

I know these days the politics of the world can make people turn on each other and say harsh things.
But it doesn't have to. You can be better than that, you can be bigger than that.

Let's all be Nice. Maybe it will catch on and become something that people will think is cool. Not sarcasm, not quippy and cutting, but just plain nice.
Your children will learn it from you. Isn't that reason enough ?

Be Kind.