What makes up my generation? Phrases, social media, advanced technology, and possibly even laziness. We hear frequently how different the world used to be before our time. Sadly, I do not think this often-made point is a positive one. Although we have created a lot with our generation, there is one thing we are lacking: kindness.
I'm not sure when I came to the realization that kind words and actions are few and far between, but since I have, nothing has made me feel differently. Has our generation ever known what true kindness really is? Is it just our generation, or has it taken a domino effect on all generations? These are questions I ask myself on a daily basis.
At my job, I realize how much kindness is disappearing, and I notice it more from people around my age. I would expect it more from customers, but this is not the case. Every corner I turn, someone is saying how incapable one person is of doing their job, how annoying another person is, and eye-rolls and grunts because someone has not moved fast enough to get out of their way. Someone cannot believe someone else called off and if you dare ask a stupid question, you are considered stupid. Do we ever take into consideration how hard some people’s lives really are? That maybe this is their third job, or that their parent is sick, or that they are just doing the best they can? Do we ever cut anyone any slack? Do we ever try to make life any easier by speaking and acting more kindly?
A lack of kindness can be seen anywhere. I will never forget watching a door slam in my mom’s face, hands full as she brought me dinner to an after-school activity, simply because the woman in front of her had no decency to even consider holding it for an extra 30 seconds. I held the door for the woman anyway, because it is in my nature, but that incident really made me think twice about other’s kindness and decency. Sure, we all have our own agendas to tend to, but is it that hard to bite your tongue, hold the door, or go a little out of your way for another human being? Have we really become that unconnected with the concept of doing something for another that does not benefit us at all?
These are questions I myself cannot answer, but rather ask. We all remember our parents telling us “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” and “treat others the way you would want to be treated”. Clearly somewhere along the way, that became “If you don’t have anything nice to say, say it anyway without a second thought” and “treat others as cold as you feel like”. I entirely believe we are all entitled to our own thoughts and opinions, whether they are the most positive towards another or the most negative. But what happened to the concept of limiting which of those negative thoughts you share aloud with the person you are feeling them about? What happened to just performing an act of kindness because we would want the same in return? Our generation is much bolder, but how bold is too bold? When did it become okay to literally say whatever you want, whenever you want, to whomever you want? There is a line between honest and mean, and a line between decent and detached. I really do not think it is that fine of a line. It is an evident one.
Extraordinary acts of kindness are not lost. We all hear daily about acts of kindness that make our jaws drop, and I do believe we will always have that in the world. What we are lacking is simple day-to-day kindness, and that is what we need to ensure kindness will not become a distant memory. I do not think the world will survive without it. Big or small, kindness does matter.
“Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret, for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true”. ~Robert Brault
