They say that we should "throw kindness around like confetti," but it seems as if the only noun currently being thrown around the world is hate. From racism to sexism to violence and everything in between, it seems as if we have lost our human instinct to reach out and help those in need. The hate that is omnipresent in our culture is tainting the very air we breathe, infecting our loved ones and simultaneously bringing people's spirits down and their guards up. It then comes as no surprise that people are shocked by random acts of kindness. Individuals have learned to accept the hate that is so casually tossed around and are taken aback by kindness' warm embrace. The world should function the other way around, with the expectation of kindness.
I wear my kindness like a badge--literally and figuratively. Literally, I sport a necklace with the message, "Be Kind," on it as a reminder to myself and others to "be kind" to all those you meet. While we are all strangers to each other, we are also human; we have our good days and our bad days. You truly don't know what is going on in the lives of others, so showing someone a little kindness and respect can easily brighten their day.
Figuratively, I love to perform little acts of kindness throughout the day, whether it be offering a glum face a bright smile or paying for the next person's coffee. Lately, I've taken notice of how a person's demeanor changes after I show them kindness. Their eyes and face immediately soften, but their eyebrows quickly raise in surprise. A small smile curls around their lips and they give a little laugh of disbelief.
One particular example sticks out in my mind. While working, I simply asked a customer how their day had been so far. Now, to you and me, this may seem like a normal conversation starter; to the woman, however, I had taken her by surprise. She held her hand against her heart and gaped at me. "That is so nice of you to ask!" she exclaimed. This woman probably expected nothing more than a typical cashier-and-customer experience where I give her what she wants and she hands over her payment. Unfortunately we live in a world where we care more about our own selfish wants than the needs, desires, and feelings of others.
I want to live in a world where smiling at strangers is normal. Where everyone holds doors open for each other. Where we honestly care about our fellow human beings. I want to live in a world where normalcy means kindness, not hatred. Let us cleanse the air of hate and fill it instead with kindness.
They say patience is a virtue, but for the sake of the world and its inhabitants, I think kindness needs to be honored, as well.
