“ Shall we make a new rule of life… always try to be a little kinder than is necessary?” a wonderful quote from J. M. Barrie in The Little White Bird
“What a marvelous line, isn’t it? Kinder than is necessary. Because it’s not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed. Why I love that line, that concept, is that it reminds me that we carry with us, as human beings, not just the capacity to be kind, but the very choice of kindness.”
– and this comes from a book that I love called Wonder by R. J. Palacio I recommend this book, as a really lovely read, and wonderfully, wonderfully important.
I know, you may think ‘blah, blah, blah…’ this is something I write (and speak about) often – kindness. The simple act of being kind. Which it appears, is not always
so simple.
As mentioned in an earlier post, I am currently watching Ken Burns’ The Vietnam War, in last night episode 8 – US soldiers senselessly slaughtered (what was described as) some 500 old men, women and children, in an act of what could be called, I suppose, utter desperation.
My husband comes in and I say to him, “How could someone kill… a child?”
Now I am not inviting personal attack, or social debate here – ‘You don’t know, or You don’t understand’ – I have no wish to denigrate or diminish what men and women in service to their country do.
It is true, I don’t understand. I hope never to have to, but I do show respect and try to understand other perspectives from people who surely know
more than I.
I also have great empathy for people on all sides, in all capacities – in their own countries and villages, just trying to make their way in the world… as best they can. And I have compassion for us as humans, who don’t always make the choice,
of kindness.
This is also why…
I am watching this ten part series.
War of course is an extreme case of unkindness, but it bears thinking about just how …
we get
there.
A friend posts about an incident where people have been unkind. Unnecessarily ridiculed and bullied her in ridiculous fashion. Making an ordinary workday rather arduous, weighing heavily on her spirit. In a show of solidarity comments pour in of support and Love, which this friend fully deserves. But some call the individuals involved spiteful names, and snap of revenge tactics.
This always makes me a bit sad. As I don’t understand ever the mentality of meeting unkindness, with unkindness. How does the drinking of the poison offered by someone else, cure us of said poison?
I know, ‘You don’t understand, You don’t know, You’re just soft-hearted.’
maybe …
There is someone that I have the occasion to encounter several times a week, who for some odd reason, just rubs me the wrong way. I’m not even sure, what exactly it is, but it started just after we were introduced. At first it made me somewhat uncomfortable, but not as to search for the reasons I found it hard to ‘like’ this person – more as it made me look at – is this the kind of person
I am
or wish to be?
An unkind person.
So in daily encounters I am somewhat indifferent to this person – I am after all still fallibly human, but I consciously make it my choice, and remind myself to try to come from a place of kindness. As it is always up to me, what I wish to honour
in
myself.
So I guess, what I’m thinking about today is values and choices, understanding and compassion
open mindedness, and the importance of necessary and even
unnecessary peaceful
kindness.
and reminding ourselves, that it is always in us
to choose
… yeah, that’s it,
same as every day … ♥