I challenge you be kinder.
I don’t mean to say that you are not acting kind “enough,” just that, in this seemingly hyper-competitive world where we all want to out-do each other, I feel like we could all use some more kindness.
I have been lucky to be able to learn from my girlfriend as she has shown me the power of small acts of kindness. She is truly amazing in this area, seemingly able to spot simple opportunities that are hidden to me. Or maybe she just flexes her kindness muscles consistently that finding and acting upon these opportunities are second nature. I admire how she is not afraid to initiate conversations with strangers, often showing a deliberate disregard of the social norms that create barriers between people.
One of the my favorite manifestations of her kindness is seen in how she interacts with people in service roles. She always makes it a point to have a conversation with the workers at toll booths on the highway, for example. It is pretty amusing, but also a little sad, to witness the surprise on worker’s faces sometimes when Sara asks “How is your day? How are you?” I guess they don’t get asked this very often. Which is really a shame because, in all the times that I’ve seen her do this, it’s always made the person’s day and leaves her with a smile on her face.
One hilarious time I actually witnessed her offer a handful of Cheez-Its (Zesty Cheddar Ranch Grooves, since I know you were wondering) to the man working at the toll booth. When her offer was happily accepted, she pulled out the box, stuck her hand in, and pulled out a giant handful. With his hands cupped below hers, he accepted them and we were all laughing at how silly the situation was. It was certainly the first time it had happened to him, and it was clear he appreciated it. It was awesome to see trust between two total strangers.
Kindness has this power. Kindness can replace feelings of separateness from one another with a reminder that the barriers we place between each other are artificial–we put them there ourselves. Kindness helps us remember that we are not so different. Kindness inspires us to be better people. To be more giving.
The beautiful aspect of kindness, too, is that it doesn’t have to be a grand act. The small acts are often the most powerful ones. I once was in line to place an order at a small burger place when I saw a woman raising her voice and taking her anger out on the cashier, in part because of her weak English skills. After witnessing the event, I walked over to the cashier and told her not to worry about the other woman, that the woman’s reaction was a reflection of her and not you, and that the cashier was doing a great job. In her face alone, I could see that this meant a lot to her.
I encourage you to get started in practicing kindness towards others. Some ideas to start might be writing a thank you letter to someone who has been influential in your life, complementing a stranger, helping someone parallel park, or showing up to a friend’s show. But this is just the start, refer to this list for endless ideas on random acts of kindness.
Until next time!
-Brandon
P.S.–Kindness towards yourself and towards others has also been shown to improve your health, as an extra-incentive.
Leave a Reply