Be Kind

So, this week has been hard. I’m not really sure what to say that hasn’t already been said, so I’m not going to try. Sometimes words simply fail us. Then, again, sometimes we find the words that are exactly what we need. While not everything that we need right now, because I don’t think that is possible, today’s quote is something that may help a tiny, fraction of a bit if only the entire world would remember it:

There's only one rule I know of: You've got to be kind. Kurt Vonnegut

Kindness is so important on so many different levels. We need to be kind to each other, to those we see every day. Did you stop and say hi to your neighbor today? Did you say the compliment you were thinking in your head about your colleague’s awesome talk? Kindness can sometimes just take a minute, but we too often let those minutes go by unremarked. Put some kindness back into your day.

We need to be kind to those who will never know us, who will never meet us, who couldn’t even imagine that we are there. Whether this means for you being a little gentler and kinder to the earth while you’re here or volunteering at whatever charity organization fills you up with more kindness reserves or giving money to organizations that do good in places you may never see–or maybe it’s all three, spread some kindness to those who will never have the chance to personally thank you. Put some kindness back into the way you live the whole of your life.

We need to be kind to ourselves, too. If we can’t be kind to ourselves, it is really hard to be kind to others in a way that is empathetic and sincere. Be kind to yourself when it seems like you can’t figure out how life could possibly be going so wrong and be kind to yourself when it is going so well that you don’t want to blink because you’re afraid it will disappear.

So, I guess all I’m saying is that I hope you’ll join me in being kind. If the whole world was kind, it’d be a better place and I’d like that, wouldn’t you?