Kindness is the act of giving freely with true concern for others and being helpful without expectation of reward or any other advantage. It comes from a loving heart rather than a sense of duty or a desire for influence or gain.
Kindness encompasses other virtues such as empathy, mercy and generosity. We all know stories of people who have selflessly built their lives around doing good for others less fortunate than themselves. It is also a value that is often acted out in a quiet, simple way, yet it accomplishes far more than the effort involved.
Author Leo Buscaglia reminds us that ‘Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around’.
A kind word can encourage or it can soothe someone’s hurt and pain. Giving someone our undivided attention, a listening ear, our time – all of these affirm their worth and let them know that they are not alone. Sometimes our actions relay kindness in a more compelling way than our words. Visiting a lonely elderly person; making a meal for an ill friend; taking a baby for a walk to give a tired new Mum a rest. All of these have the capacity to touch another life with a moment’s loving warmth.
The strange thing about kindness is that, even though it is a selfless act and attitude, it somehow spills over into our own life and makes us feel better about ourselves. As Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama says: ‘When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace’.
How has kindness touched your life?
