Kindness

I continue to see little memes on the internet talking about kindness and being kind to one another. I am not seeing the results of a reminder to be kind to each other, there is such an air of selfishness that I am frustrated. I understand if a person is distracted with things in their own life, but how hard is it to smile or say hello back to someone that speaks to you.

Kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous and considerate. I also think being courteous should be with kindness. The words definitions are similar. I don’t even think children are being shown how to show kindness. Like I stated before I feel that there is such an air of selfishness because “We” are too involved in social media. I am not totally blaming the internet for the problem, but how many people are using the phone at the dinner table or checking Facebook when people around you are having a conversation or asking you a question.

I am not trying to make anyone feel bad and I hope not to offend anyone, my attempt is to bring awareness to basic human kindness. If you made plans with someone and are going to be late call them so they are not worrying that something happened to you. Smile and say good day if someone says hello. It makes me sad to see people rushing around stressing over things they probably have no control of and so they can not look beyond their own self. Billions of people in the world.

I am as guilty as the next guy that I get caught up in my own little world. However I really try to smile and say kind words to people. Sometimes when I’m out with family and I see a nice person I say something about it. My family has been known to look at me like I am crazy.  I won’t stop, I refuse to be part of the problem that I am bitching about. It is funny that I am writing about kindness and my husband just got back from the dollar store where there were very inconsiderate people in front of him in line and it pissed him off. I haven’t said anything to him about being bitchy, but that is the shit I hate. It is not that difficult to have patience and to be kind. I know that different situations happen that test our patience and make it hard to see past the problem and think that maybe there is something else really going on.

Thinking about the situation I described reminds me of the song “Christmas Shoes” it takes about a little boy in line to buy shoes for his mother who is dying, going to see Jesus tonight and how the shoes would be the gift. He didn’t have enough money to get them so the man behind him helps pay for the shoes.  Kindness.

OK I am done, I just needed to say something especially since Christmas is over and all those warm fuzzy feelings have now been replaced with the stress of a new year. I don’t make resolutions but I am going to be kind to everyone as best as I can. I hope I can influence just one person to be kind and then hopefully it will spread.

Give it a try.