Kindness

The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make heaven of hell and hell of heaven. – J.Milton

We seem to be lurching quite unconsciously towards Hell. I think that the way we believe enables this movement: that belief is that the world is tooth and claw and nasty and that being tough and aggressive and wars are a “necessary evil”. Thus we don’t make Hell – it exists already – for life is “survival of the fittest” – to which I respond – this is a very partial, limited and short sighted view. It’s sort of like lies, it works in the short term, but not the long term – and life and living is for the long haul – for life has existed on earth for over 3.5 billion years and has a lot to teach us about what is a valid belief or lens as we navigate the self made mess we are in.

First, an explanation on why something as soppy and seemingly frivolous as kindness is actually a very big deal. I read a headline of a recent article in The Washington Post [March6] entitled:

U.S. was only country in a worldwide survey to say most fellow citizens are bad people

Wow. Not only is that sad, it also helps explain all the wars the USA fights: all they see is bad people and thus feel justified in “making the world safe for freedom and democracy”. So perhaps you will now humour me today as I strongly suggest that you take being kind seriously. Yes, kindness is serious stuff. Just like humour and laughter it can help turn hell into heaven, because as our mind first creates reality within itself it then acts to make that inner reality an external reality.

 

So, right now, I am going to share some kindness with you, in the form of a book and a movie which are both reeking with kindness… but with an edge, because real life always has a bit of a hard edge. The book I recommend you read or listen to is Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. It is a beautifully crafted story about the power of creative generosity, the importance of wonder to a purposeful life, and the far-reaching possibilities of anonymous kindness. The movie I recommend is from Ireland, entitled The Beautiful Fantastic and can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8yhL0lcQ5g . It is a quirky movie about a lonely young woman who makes an unlikely friendship with a cantankerous, rich old widower. Be kind to yourself – right now – and read/listen/watch them.

So what can you do next? Simply be kind. See kindness not as optional or frivolous but as vital to your, and our society’s, physical and emotional health. Fill your soul with kindness, a kindness with an edge that is like a conquering sword, swinging back and forth as beauty and truth are planted in this paradoxical world where real joy is only possible to experience because we first know sorrow, as this poem entitled Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye makes clear:

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,

you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.

You must wake up with sorrow.

You must speak to it till your voice

catches the thread of all sorrows

and you see the size of the cloth.

Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,

only kindness that ties your shoes

and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,

only kindness that raises its head

from the crowd of the world to say

It is I you have been looking for,

and then goes with you everywhere

like a shadow or a friend.

 

Listen closely, and you’ll hear the beautiful symphony of kindness playing throughout nature. From the subtle ways plants support each other to the cooperation among animals and the compassion humans offer, kindness weaves a magnificent tapestry. “Symphony of Kindness” explores this universal language, revealing how different levels of creation express it.