It's easy to be kind to people you know nothing about. We greet strangers as they walk by with a smile and "how ya doing?"
Or maybe you know their story so you show them compassion. You may not know them personally but you've seen them walk their journey. You've seen the way they gently speak. You've seen them smile when their world was shattered. You've watched them pick the pieces up and put them together the best way they knew how. You choose to be kind. You want to be kind. You want to hug them when you see them but not to freak them out... you simply smile as you walk by.
Maybe you know too much about someone so you judge them. You know their past. You know what they've done or how they have treated people so you can easily walk on by without a hello or "How ya doing?" You don't want to know anything but their past. They aren't good enough in your eyes or don't deserve to be acknowledged. Perhaps you choose to look the other way so that you don't have to make eye contact.
Maybe you've "heard" too much so you don't bother to interact with someone. You've never met them. You've never spoken to them. But you heard a story or a little gossip about them so you choose not to speak. Anyone guilty of this?
We are kinder to strangers than those in our home. We have a disagreement with a close friend or family member and cut ties. Seems to be easier to ignore someone rather than talk things out. The stranger we say hello to may have done far worse than anything you've ever known. But still you speak.
We bump into our child and shrug it off but we bump into a stranger in the grocery store and we quickly apologize.
I am guilty of all of the above but why? Why is it easier to be kinder to those who have no connection to us? Maybe we try to protect our hearts from those we love so we build a wall. But as we build that wall... relationships begin to fade. Friendships fall apart. Families crumble.
Pay close attention today how kind you are to strangers. Watch how your words change when you are around your friends, your kids, your children, your parents, your co-workers. Let's be kind. Let's see the good in others.
Or maybe you know their story so you show them compassion. You may not know them personally but you've seen them walk their journey. You've seen the way they gently speak. You've seen them smile when their world was shattered. You've watched them pick the pieces up and put them together the best way they knew how. You choose to be kind. You want to be kind. You want to hug them when you see them but not to freak them out... you simply smile as you walk by.
Maybe you know too much about someone so you judge them. You know their past. You know what they've done or how they have treated people so you can easily walk on by without a hello or "How ya doing?" You don't want to know anything but their past. They aren't good enough in your eyes or don't deserve to be acknowledged. Perhaps you choose to look the other way so that you don't have to make eye contact.
Maybe you've "heard" too much so you don't bother to interact with someone. You've never met them. You've never spoken to them. But you heard a story or a little gossip about them so you choose not to speak. Anyone guilty of this?
We are kinder to strangers than those in our home. We have a disagreement with a close friend or family member and cut ties. Seems to be easier to ignore someone rather than talk things out. The stranger we say hello to may have done far worse than anything you've ever known. But still you speak.
We bump into our child and shrug it off but we bump into a stranger in the grocery store and we quickly apologize.
I am guilty of all of the above but why? Why is it easier to be kinder to those who have no connection to us? Maybe we try to protect our hearts from those we love so we build a wall. But as we build that wall... relationships begin to fade. Friendships fall apart. Families crumble.
Pay close attention today how kind you are to strangers. Watch how your words change when you are around your friends, your kids, your children, your parents, your co-workers. Let's be kind. Let's see the good in others.
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