Kindness is a common human trait. As
human beings, it should come naturally to us. Being a
well-wisher of others should be both instinctive and
impulsive. Our minds’ antennas should be tuned to catch
signals of misery found around us and we should take the
initiative in addressing the situation.
Kindness to human beings must be across
the board and for every person we may come into contact
with. Let us consider ourselves to be citizens of the globe.
Let us feel for our global fraternity in much the same way
we feel for our family.
It is easy to be kind to good people
because kindness is often acknowledged by them and may
produce immediate good results. However, being kind to bad
people is all the more necessary. It provides a window of
hope to reform them. The more crude and harsh they become,
the more soft and gentle should we become. Hating evil is
not the solution. Affectionately reforming its advocates is
the solution. They need more sympathy and attention.
And then kindness must not be confined
to humans. It must extend to animal and plant life as well.
Pets need proper care, the most important of which is
perhaps an appropriate habitat. In the absence of such a
habitat, keeping pets will amount to the greatest of
cruelties. Stray animals need temporary refuge in rain and
heat; wounded animals need medical treatment; the thirsty
and hungry among them need immediate attention.
Plants need water; at times, they need
the sun and at other times they need to be protected from
the sun. They need to be tended to just like children and
infants. It is only after hard labour on our part that they
can really grow.
We may also keep in mind that caring for
others may earn us God’s care and attention. Let us try to
make a difference in the life of others. This will make a
difference in our lives as well.
Perhaps the easiest
act of kindness is to distribute smiles among people! Let us
not be miserly in smiling!
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