In a long line at a late night convenience store and in a hurry I found myself expelling a deep sigh (along with several other people), when an elderly lady at the counter fumbled in her purse for exact change. One lady balancing three large handfuls of snacks actually said “Oh help me Jesus” aloud as she rolled her eyes. When it was finally my time at the counter the young cashier said “Sorry about the old lady, they are so slow”. His comment brought me up short. Why was he apologizing to me? Obviously I had made my irritation known. As I left the store I felt annoyed with myself for not extending kindness when given an opportunity to do so.
Love Thy Neighbor
When I was younger my grandmother would often say “Treat everyone with kindness, even those who are rude to you – not because they are nice, but because you are.” The idea to treat others the way you want to be treated is a tenet as old as time itself. The golden rule of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and Biblical text of “Loving thy neighbor” is taught in Sunday school to children of all ages, but it seems as we get older we forget the benefits of being kind to others. Mother Teresa, known for her kindness and life of serving others, may seem like the exception to the rule but in actuality we all have opportunities to make the world a better place by showing kindness to our fellow man.
A nursing student told the story of having a quiz her second year in nursing school. The last question was “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?” Thinking it was a joke she left the question unanswered. When the professor was asked if the question counted toward the grade he answered “Absolutely.” He went on to explain, “In your career, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention, and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello.” The nurse learned the custodian’s name, it was Dorothy.
Kindness Does Matter
What a great lesson. We are all in this together and each of us deserves kindness (http://www.kindness.com) and consideration as we make our way through life. How hard is it to smile at someone, open a door, wait patiently, and forgive people who have wronged us?
Mark Twain once said, “If we should deal out justice only, in this world, who would escape? No, it is better to be generous, and in the end more profitable, for it gains gratitude for us, and love.”Mark Twain quotations Being kind to others is a win- win situation. The giver gains so much more than the person receiving the giving.
I know I feel better doing things for others and being a teacher I enjoy encouraging my students to give back. My students earn extra rewards for RAKs (The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation). I hope by helping them to see the opportunity to randomly be kind to others; it will become a way of life.
Finding Ways to be Kind
There are many websites that offer ways to incorporate acts of kindness into daily life. But sometimes it just starts by waiting patiently while another person takes longer in line than was expected, allowing someone to go in front of you in a long line of traffic, smiling at someone who is having a bad day and offering to help.
An old Chinese Proverb states, A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives the rose. Kindness will return to you in ways that is hard to fathom. And if nothing else, I have noticed that when I use my life to be kind to others that I feel better about myself. I am a nice person and my day is better because of it. Love someone who doesn’t deserve it. You will be surprised how beautiful the day will be when kindness is shared with those around you.
Think of the words of James M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, he said “Always be a little kinder than necessary.” With these words in mind, try to find ways to use kindness to make your world and life better.
Brenda Gargus - Brenda Gargus has a Masters' degree in Psychology and an undergraduate degree in Education. She has taught for 29 years in a variety of ...
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