As I was driving to work this past week, the woman on the radio said something so simple, yet so profound in today's society - "be kind to unkind people." It is not uncommon to come across rude people during the day but it is the way that we respond that defines us as a person. As a society, we are so quick to judge someone that we don't have time to think about what they may be going through. The rude people you come in contact with on a daily basis are going through battles of their own, battles we will never understand no matter how hard we try.
I'm not saying it is easy to be kind to unkind people. It takes a lot of self-control and patience. I recently started working in the hospitality business at a hotel and there have been countless times where I have lost my cool on someone. Now, I'm not one to do it directly to their face, I tend to let my anger and annoyance out once I leave their vicinity - which is still not any better, may I add. Although it is hard to always show kindness, it is something to always be aware of. You may be the single person who changes their day around for the better. Sometimes all it takes to turn a day around is one good thing happening and that good thing could be you. A simple smile, holding the door open, paying for the person behind you in line, or a nice "good morning" can really make someone's day.
There seems to always be an uprising of young people who want to change the world. They feel as though the world is at their fingertips and they are able to mold it however they please. There is nothing wrong with this, with having ambitions and dreams but it is important to keep in mind the character of yourself as you strive for these goals. As Morgan Freeman once said, "How do we change the world? One random act of kindness at a time." These random acts of kindness don't need to be elaborate, they are actually pretty simple. If you see someone struggling with their groceries, help them. If you haven't seen a friend in awhile, invite them to have lunch with you. If your neighbors grass is high, mow it for them. If you are driving, be courteous to others - don't honk, cut people off, or ride their butt (you know who you are). Although these simple acts of kindness are simple, they have the potential to turn into a domino effect and really make a significant impact.
If you turn on the news, all you hear about are acts of violence, acts of terror, hateful arguments between politicians, hateful statements made towards groups of people, and much more. You do not tend to hear stories about acts of kindness and this is why the statement made on the radio has stuck with me. In between the blurbs about the happenings of the world today, there was a story about a man who paid for a women's gas after she yelled at him. It takes a special kind of person to approach a situation like that with enough kindness to actually change the whole situation. We need more people in the world like that. So, let's be kind to unkind people. And as one of my absolute favorite ladies {Ellen DeGeneres} always says at the end of her talk show, "Be kind to one another".
