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The Role Of Kindness

By on December 20, 2017

So, if it is not our jobs to tame all the brokenness in the world, what is our jobs as responsible citizens moving through life?

In simplest terms, I think it is our jobs to share kindness to those willing to accept it.
We also should learn to be happy for others who succeed or have good fortune. So long as they have not come by good fortune through violence or treachery, we should be happy for family, friends, and strangers who have come upon good fortune and happiness even if we think they just got lucky and don’t deserve it. Remember, they are our fellow human beings and we should wish them the same happiness and good fortune we ourselves want.

The emotion of feeling kindness for others is the fabric that holds an individual’s own happiness together.
‏We can do that in thousands of ways. All people need kindness to live happily whether they know it or not just like they need food and water to survive. Those who cannot accept kindness have a tendency to want to be rid of kindness. They have lost a taste for it. It annoys them and a lot of times they don’t believe kindness is real. That is a red flag. In most cases, getting near a very wounded person can get you hurt physically or emotionally. Sharing kindness helps heal broken people that recognize kindness as a virtue and enriches the lives of others we engage with that are ready to receive and give back. It is with these community members that we can do the most good in the world when we share kindness. In all of our relationships, the relationships that will mean the most are those in which members can give and receive kindness freely (Dixon, 2011):
‏https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/kindness_makes_you_happy_and_happiness_makes_you_kind

Learning to Give Back

It is apparent that aiding other human beings is part of our nature. This is not to say we will not often feel anger toward others throughout our lives. Anger is a natural human emotion when frustrated, embarrassed, or hurt by another. However, feeling habitual anger can lead to loneliness and selfishness as it isolates us from others. Before we get angry with someone, try and empathize with the position they are in as well as their possible sense of frustration.

It can be said that the unhappiest people in life, from the rich to the poor, are those who are very selfish with their kindness.

In my own experience, I have known people of every socioeconomic background that were very stingy with their kindness including time and money. Selfishness knows no categories of people. At some point, a person should give back to society. When a person believes him or herself to be superior to the point that society doesn’t deserve their help, the bitterness that attitude creates isolates him or her from society all together.

We have all witnessed individuals around us through life that blame others for everything. They are constantly asking for others to help them and sometimes cannot let go of their pasts, blaming it for the reason they suffer now. This may definitely be true in some cases. The traumas some have suffered are real and take courage and effort to overcome. However, some never do. They get trapped in an anger cycle that leads them to be anti-social and sometimes anti-societal. They guilt family and friends about their woes. They learn to take without giving back. Other than a verbal thank you after they get something they want from somebody, these type folks seldom give back to their family, friends, or communities. They are held in a constant suspension of being a victim due to the belief that society owes them something and it can never pay enough back.

Sometimes you see these type of individuals have a turn around and start giving back. They find that a person can give back with more than just money. Spending or volunteering your time, writing a thank you card, or even giving s gift when your fortunes turn can all be a show of thanks to family, friends, membership organizations like churches or fraternities, or organizations that support public well-being such as children hospitals and schools.

About Billy Jackson

Billy R. Jackson is a dad and author of "Preparing Them For The Big Bad World," a book he specifically wrote for young adults when making life decisions. He has a BA in Political Science from Norwich University (2001) and a Masters in Business Administration from University of Wisconsin-Consortium.(2013)