“I shall pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”—Stephen Grellet
***
An old man was walking in a barrio with his grandson when they came across a small land turtle. The boy picked up his find, examined it and tried to pry open the shell with a stick. The turtle promptly pulled in his head.
“That will never get you anywhere,” the grandfather remarked. “Let me show you.”
They returned home and the old man put the turtle near the fire. A few minutes later, the turtle stuck out its head and feet and started crawling toward the boy.
The lesson the boy learned that day: “Never try to force a fellow into anything. Just warm him with a little kindness and he’ll probably respond.”
“Kindness is more than deeds,” said C. Neil Strait. “It is an attitude, an expression, a look, a touch. It is anything that lifts another person.”
When providing feedback to others, it is essential to approach the matter with kindness. Frequently, we find ourselves in situations where we must offer feedback to individuals such as family members, colleagues, friends, or public officials. If kindness is absent, the feedback may be perceived as mere criticism, faultfinding, or reproach, leading the recipient to become resistant to listening.
“Kind words are the music of the world,” writes W.F. Faber. “They have a power which seems to be beyond natural causes, as if they were some angel’s song which had lost its way and come on earth. It seems as if they could almost do what in reality God alone can do — soften the hard and angry hearts of men. No one was ever corrected by sarcasm — crushed, perhaps, if the sarcasm was clever enough, but drawn nearer to God, never.”
It is essential to practice kindness when educating children. Many parents concur that nurturing children is akin to cultivating trees. If they are subjected to harsh storms at an early age, they may develop resilience but will likely become distorted and misshapen. Conversely, if they are nurtured with warmth, clean water, and gentle breezes, they will flourish, growing straight, flexible, and vibrant.
In a similar vein, children thrive in an environment filled with love and kindness. This nurturing fosters their sensitivity and thoughtfulness towards others. “Kindness is the sunshine in which virtue grows,” Robert G. Ingersoll reminds.
When requesting favors, it is essential to approach the matter with kindness. Consider how often strangers have asked you for minor assistance, and how pleased you felt to oblige simply because their request was made with such courtesy. As a Persian proverb wisely states, “With a gentle tongue and kindness, one can lead an elephant by a single hair.”
Never underestimate the influence of kindness in alleviating pain and distress. Kindness embodies compassion; it resonates with the feelings of others. Acts of kindness can make suffering more manageable and can significantly reduce the burden of pain.
“Ninety per cent of all mental illness that comes before me could have been prevented, or cured by ordinary kindness,” Dr. William McGrath points out.
“The fine and noble way to destroy a foe, is not to kill him: with kindness you may so change him that he shall cease to be so: then he’s slain,” a sage once said.
Now, allow me to share the story below which is very familiar among those who go to church or read the Bible:
A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him off his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So, too, a Levite when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day, he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper.
“Look after him,” the Samaritan told the innkeeper, “and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.”
It was Jesus Christ who shared this “parable of the good Samaritan,” as recorded by Saint Luke (Chapter 10:30-35), after those “experts in the law” asked him, “Who is my neighbor?”
“Which of these three men do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” Jesus asked them. “The one who had mercy on him,” someone replied.
What the Good Samaritan displayed was actually kindness in action.
If you want to be kind to others, just do it. Amelia Earhart once pointed out, “No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make
new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.”
