We have all heard the term "kindness is free," but this isn't good enough for me. We owe kindness to our society.
I've found that so many people don't respond to "kindness is free," because it doesn't benefit them. Our culture has told us not to do anything unless it betters our own lives.
Contrary to this belief, we have nothing else to offer the world. Everything we strive to achieve and everything we build up means nothing if our hearts have no kindness to offer. This is the only thing that can truly impact others. All the wealth and success in the world will do nothing for it.
People don't want your charity without compassion. You can do the acts of saints, but if it's without a truly loving heart, what you have to offer is worthless.
Our culture has taught us to respect authority, but I'd like to clarify that no one is above respect. No matter how high you are on the social scale and regardless of your level of supremacy, respect is not beneath you. Our words are meant to build others up. If you are in a position of control, there's a high chance that that position is for the better of someone else. It is despicable to use your authority to look down on someone else.
Compassion and kindheartedness isn't difficult. There's no excuse for putting yourself above others. I challenge myself daily to step out of my comfort zone just to offer someone a piece of myself- even if that's just holding the door open for the person behind me. How astonishing is it that we have to get out of our comfort zone just to be nice to strangers? We're so consumed in ourselves that it's UNCOMFORTABLE to go talk to a stranger sitting alone.
This isn't a type of society that I'm okay with. Millennials are all about changing the world we live in, yet we're caught up in our own bubbles. Can we open up our bubbles to the world around us?
All we have to offer our world is kindness. The world owes us nothing, yet this is what we owe it. I'm not trying to be hippy by saying we can make the world a better place, but how amazing is it that all we have to do is reach out to make the world better for someone else?
