THE VALUE OF KINDNESS

THE VALUE OF KINDNESS

Kindness is a powerful human value. The chemical interactions it triggers affect us so positively, and so much, that its presence in our lives makes us live happier, and even longer! It reduces stress and depression, and improves the quality of our sleep. It uplifts our overall well-being and reinforces our immune system! Furthermore, a simple act of kindness and compassion can reduce conflicts and build unity among human beings, eliminate violence and support us in our dedication to the planet and the infinite forms of life on Earth. Kindness can improve our human relations in general and our deeper relation with ourselves because it helps our heart sing. Its root meaning resounds with the nobility of a good character, capable of expressing genuine feelings of brotherhood and sisterhood, reinforcing the bonds among people.

The value of kindness is often associated with good manners, which is certainly a strong facet of its practice. When we are kind, we are friendly, generous and considerate. These human values all spring from a profound sense of caring, and one’s ability to understand and share the feelings of others, and to identify with the sacred principles of Love, Peace and Nonviolence.

As we express kindness in our lives, it matures in an all-round empathetic attitude that develops into warm-hearted attentiveness for others, raises awareness and broadens perspective. Through the eyes of kindness we see better and move closer, while our understanding of one another increases as we learn to put ourselves in “their shoes”.

When loving kindness instills our thoughts, words and deeds, our circle of good company becomes wider and wider because its spirit is contagious and spreads the same feelings it thrives on: calm, acceptance, tolerance, forbearance, clarity of focus, filling our hearts with gentleness and beauty. This is why the cultivation of kindness is not only desirable for individuals but at the basis of the moral foundation of our very communities. Kindness flourishes through gratitude and authenticity, and enhances quality teamwork and good, heartfelt cooperation. To focus on the importance and worth of “being kind” should be a main focus in education today.

A GIFT FOR THE POSTMAN

A postman knocked on the door of a cottage: “There’s a letter for you”, he said, “please come and get it.”

“I’m coming”, answered a girl’s voice from inside the cottage.
Three to four minutes went by but no one came to the door. The postman became very impatient. He knocked and knocked, and cried out: “Is anyone in the house? I have a letter for you”.

A girl’s voice was heard again, “Mr. postman”, said the girl, “please slip the letter under the door, I am coming”.
“No, I’m sorry”, replied the man. “It’s a registered letter and I need your signature”.
After approximately six to seven minutes, the door finally opened. The postman was on the verge of a having a fit due to the long delay. But as he was about to shout at the girl for having taken so much time, he halted. She was standing at the door, holding a pair of crutches tightly in her small hands. He stared at her in shock, and silently handed her the letter and took her signature.

There after whenever he had any mail for the young girl he would gently knock on the door and wait patiently for her to come.

During one of his visits the girl noticed that the postman was barefoot. The festive season dedicated to the goddess of prosperity and known as Diwali was fast approaching, and with it the tradition of exchanging gifts with others.  The young girl thought about this as she saw the man’s footprints in the soil after he had left. She quickly asked her helper to trace them on a piece of paper and to buy a pair of shoes of that size for him.

A few days later it was Diwali and since the postman was in the neighborhood, he thought it would be nice to go and wish the crippled girl “Happy Diwali”.

“Who is it?”, asked the young girl, when he knocked on the door of her cottage.

“Postman” replied the man.
She opened the door and to his utter surprise the young girl handed him the gift she had so kindly prepared for him. “This is for you, uncle”. She said sweetly. “Happy Diwali.”
“How can I take a gift from you?”, replied the postman, touched by her kindness. “You are like my daughter”, he said.

The girl smiled and asked him to please accept the gift. The man was reluctant to do so, but the gesture of the young girl was so pure and sincere that he humbly took the present.

“Uncle, please open it when you get home”, said the girl, as she closed the door.
At home when the postman opened the gift he was stunned when he saw the shoes. His eyes welled up with tears.

The following day he went straight to his superintendent and requested to be immediately transferred. The officer asked him the reason for such a request. The postman placed the pair of shoes on his desk and narrated the story of the young crippled girl, from the beginning.
“That girl has given me a pair of shoes to protect my feet, but I will never be able to give her feet to walk”, he sobbed.

The officer was touched by the story, but decided not to transfer the postman. He encouraged him to continue taking mail to the young girl as a way to exchange her kindness with his own service. “You are both very lucky”, said the officer. “To understand and feel the pain and sadness of others is rare in today’s society. We must not forsake these feelings, but nurture them with the awareness that they are like precious gems that shine in our hearts. The warmth and love we feel reminds us of who we are. You are both instruments to each other and models of wisdom for our community”.

A COMPASSIONATE GRANDSON

A little boy and his grandmother went to an autumn fair. A bunch of children were lined up ready to have their face painted. The little boy stepped in line. As soon as the children saw him they started to laugh and make fun of the boy. “You have nothing to paint! Your face is already full of red dots!” they cried. The boy bent his head in shame. What could he do about those ugly red freckles that covered his face? Grandma bent down and hugged him tight. “I love your freckles.” She said tenderly. “They are beautiful! There is nothing as beautiful as freckles!” She squeezed his shoulders. The little boy looked deeply into his grandma’s eyes. “Yes there is, grandma” he said. “What is that?”, she asked. “Wrinkles!” replied the boy.