‘You’re so kind,’ He says to me.
I’ve been told this a lot. In awe. Like it’s some kind of superpower. It’s not. And the fact that people seem to believe it is, makes me sad.
We can all be kind. It’s a choice.
Always.
When given the choice of how to respond to anything, I always try to choose kindness. I don’t always succeed, however, that’s a gift in itself of showing me where I still need work.
Now, some tend to believe that to choose to be kind means we must lie. I don’t lend to that belief. We can speak truth gently and with kindness. All it takes is a few ingredients: a little thought, a little heart, and some understanding that we’re all human and doing the best we can with what we have.
Like anything, kindness simply takes learning and practice. It’s not a superpower. It’s not special. It’s choosing the hard road. The one that honours both you and me, in a world that tells us that the only way to survive and get ahead is at the cost of others. The cost of another’s dignity to prove you’re “right,” or “smarter,” or “better looking,” or “more successful,” or “more loveable,” or “more deserving.” All this competition of stepping on one another to prove you’re worth more as a human. Everyone has worth. Everyone has value. Everyone has something to contribute. And everyone has something to learn.