Doesn't this seem upside down? In the driving situation? I was the jerk for doing the right thing and a law breaker was right for doing the wrong thing. Doesn't it seem that doing the wrong thing is the right and accepted thing while doing the right thing is frowned upon? Doesn't it seem people in large go out of their way to be unkind to one another more than they try to be kind?
We live in a world where we are constantly being bombarded with reasons to not like each other on a daily basis. Some nut gets up on his/her soapbox and in a broad stroke attacks another group of people for not thinking the way they do. It seems that more and more our differences have become the basis for us to cry foul and hate others. If we all thought, dressed and talked alike, would not life seem robotic?
Look, we all don't drive the same kind of car or wear the same color shirt or live in the same kind of house. Can't we just accept that we are different and allow each other to exist without having a chip on our shoulder or mistreating one another. How does it evade us that we are all related. We all came from Adam and Eve and are all cousins in a sense. (I can't do the math and figure out the relationships.) Can't we "appreciate" the things we have in common and the things that are different?
There is one group of people that I see regularly. The majority of times we cross paths, it seems they scowl at me. I don't even know them and have never seen them, so could have never offended them. It seems they might be offended because I am different. That makes no sense to me.
What does make sense to me is that the world is a mess. People have lost homes, jobs, possessions, and hope. War and fighting is all around. Crime is everywhere and on and on. It seems to me that all we have is each other.
The whole world as we know it is changing and to some degree crumbling. If it all came crashing down, all that would be left would be us - people. Take all the junk away and again, all we would have is each other.
Can't we stop pushing our schedules and agendas on one another and just be kind to each other?
Well, I was not in a great hurry at the fast food place so the boys who cut in front of me didn't ruin my day. The lady who was outraged that I was doing the speed "limit" flew passed me and I waved. If she wants to break the law that is her choice. Even some people where I go to church can be mean. Wouldn't you expect people to be kind at least in church? Are we all running around asleep to the fact that we are just all too often, not nice to each other? Have we become calloused to unkindness? Maybe it is time we wake up to our own behavior rather than being critical about others. Maybe it is time we become responsible for how we treat others.
It struck me yesterday that I wonder if these people's bad behaviors would be acceptable if done in their homes by their kids. I wonder if such attitudes are taught to their children as being acceptable. I wonder if such unkindnesses are not acceptable in their children's behavior, why the heck are they behaving that way? If we do not condone unkindness in our kids or others, why do we condone it in our own life?
In a world where being unkind seems normal, can we change the tide back to where kindness is how we choose to live? It starts with each one of us. It starts at home, in school, in church, in the store, at the doctor's office, at the grocery store. It starts with us being kind even if we are being treat with unkindness.
Now I know tis really doesn't apply to you or me, because we are the kindest people on the planet but I hope those "other" people hear this, right? I am kidding. We all can make more of an effort to be kind, even if all around us don't. Their lives may continue on being frustrating and annoying but I am sure ours will be brighter and more pleasant.
Just a little four letter word that can make a big difference. Kind. Just be kind.