Impacts Of Kindness

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” — Desmond Tutu

Can you recall a time somebody was kind to you? To view the original article click here Now change the scenario and think of a time you were kind to another person? Call to mind their reaction and how you responded. Move into your heart and notice the feelings there. If you read no further than this point, you should know that kindness affects the user and the experiencer — leaving a lasting impression on both. In this fast pace world, kindness and compassion takes a back seat to selfies, self-interest and expendable human interactions. Every person is waiting to be discovered or become rich, believing it holds the key to their happiness. Yet when they attain success, they long for their former life having underestimated the trappings of fame and celebrity. I enjoy the quote by Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics, David W. Orr:

“The plain fact is that the planet does not need more successful people. But it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers of every kind. It needs people who live well in their places. It needs people of moral courage willing to join the fight to make the world habitable and humane. And these qualities have little to do with success as we have defined it.”

Kindness is fundamental to the human existence. We are thrust into the world as newborns and enriched with the kindness of our parents’ nurturing for the ensuing years. Humans are the only mammals with a prolonged gestation period. Other creatures rely on support for a brief time before becoming self-reliant. We are powerless at birth and depend on our caregivers to provide for our needs. Therefore, kindness is sewn into the framework of our DNA. We are literally wired for kindness.