Kindness Can Mean Everything

(written about 6 weeks ago.....)
I recently read an article on the Daily Good blog about how "It is more important to be kind than being clever."  The blog's author related a story about how he made a clever comment to his grandmother when he was 10 years old.  He made her cry.  That was when his grandfather made this profound statement.  Read the whole article at http://www.dailygood.org/view.php?sid=306 .

This article made me stop for a moment to ponder what it actually was saying.  Was it saying that in our business ventures we have become more concerned with money and getting ahead then thinking about how our actions affect our fellow man?  Does it say that every action has a consequence in some one's life and the ability to be really good or really bad? Or does it simply make the point that kindness should be the basis of everything we do and that you never know how profoundly you can make a difference with a single act?

I think it says all of those things.  I find it particularly telling when in a country where we are told constantly that things are REALLY bad, that big businesses are not prospering, that people are unemployed and it is becoming harder to get ahead in this world, where our 20 plus year old children with college educations can't find jobs and where mature workers sit idly by in minimum wage service jobs not valued for their knowledge or wisdom..that the prevailing attitude among many people I know is,  "Oh well, too bad, glad I'm not you!"

I often wonder where all the kindness and love went in this country supposedly built upon those very "Christian" principles.  

We are facing in our current elections this fall a stark difference in philosophical beliefs.  One party, despite what they may say in the next 6 weeks of campaigning is solidly a party of Christian's who believes that if you are poor, unemployed, old, physically or mentally challenged, desirous of an education at any age or enjoy the arts that well, it sucks to be you.  I spoke recently with a friend about the upcoming elections, he is a kind person, he is a Christian .  He agreed with me that if the Republican party wins in November that EVERY social support from NPR to Pell Grants, Dept of Education to support of the less fortunate would disappear.  I was excited yet sad that he would agree with me.  

On the other hand, our friends the Democrats have instituted the beginning of a Health Care plan that's major tenet was Health Care for Everyone because its too costly now. I think we can all agree that the pharmaceutical companies and health insurance industries are out of control.  I have no insurance and if I get sick...I cannot go to the doctor without incurring a $100 charge....for an office visit.  THAT is outrageous. A Z pack prescription costs $150 for this popular antibiotic...ridiculous!  Obama has also tried to save the biggest industry in America by giving it a hand when it needed it (kind eh?) and stopped banks from charging our kids double the interest on their Pell Grants. 

My point is that the Republicans seem to be a party of money grubbing, religious zealots without hearts who think that it is ok to prevaricate at every turn to get their way.  Democrats, on the other hand at least appear to want to try to solve some social issues in the only way it's been done in the past which it to make another plan and throw money at it.  At least they seem to be kind.  

So, I did not intend this to be a political treatise as I want this to be a kind blog, one that speaks about my journey and the things I've learned along the way. So...PLEASE forgive me this one digression. 

One thing I've learned is that it HURTS me when I find out that an action I've taken has hurt someone.  If I've been unkind or unloving, either from omission or commission, and it has trickled down, its ripples running out into people's lives ...then I feel badly and wonder how that ripple might have bumped people temporarily off their path or affected them, maybe even caused them to change their direction or intention.  A single word can totally change a person's life, 3 words,  I love you, are the best words to hear ever.

I've been the recipient of a lot of kindnesses.  This computer I am using now plus the 2 before were given to me without cost.  Some one's castoffs for sure but after some repair (thank you Jim,Jake,Roger & Robert!) they work/ed great.  What a wonderful gift! These friends didn't have to think about my needs or do a kind act but they did and those acts had a huge affect on my life!  There are many others who have acted kindly towards me providing a service, money or a summer job because they could.  They knew what a big deal it would be to me.  

What response have these acts elicited from me, have I, in return, demanded more kind acts?  Have I held tightly onto my good fortune and thought, "wow too bad for you that you are over there suffering, Ha ha, I've got stuff and you don't!" No, instead, kind acts breed kind acts and I have in turn tried to watch others carefully for signs of need so that I can extend support, looked at strangers with new eyes knowing how hard it is right now maybe there are things, actions, information that I have that I can give away which will help someone along their path.  I do not speak about this usually, as kindness multiplies, I think, when done in secret without demands.

There are a lot of good Republicans and Democrats out there, kind, generous, normal people who have worked hard to get where they are.  They've had lots of breaks along the way, things have probably pretty much gone swimmingly for them. But there are also out there a lot of good Democrats and Republicans who thought they had the American dream made then 2008 happened and they lost it all.  They did nothing wrong except in some cases be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  It was kind of like a tornado when it hits, one house stands another is blown away.  These fine folks didn't ask or deserve this but yet here they were up to their hips in muck they never dreamed of being in.  So, what ya gonna do about this situation? All our fighting and yelling at each other is neither kind nor conducive to problem solving.  

So, I don't have the answers to our national/international problems.  I do know what Jesus would do....he'd give that homeless person his coat without question and then walk with him that next mile....Would you?