I've had this idea for awhile, and it's not exactly a project of the physical variety. It isn't something one can just create with their hands and be done. It is a life long decision. It is a way of life, a way of looking at the world.
The idea, this magical idea, is -
Being kind because it is right.
In most religions, it is taught to fear being anything but kind. If you are not kind, the devil gets your soul for all of eternity. You will live a life of eternal discomfort in the after-world, or maybe you'll come back as some unpleasant, unfortunate creature.
In most religions, you are threatened into being kind or making kind decisions.
In my mind, this seems strange. After all, are you really a kind person if you are only doing kind acts out of fear or greed?
The whole idea of being kind just to get "good karma" in a way seems to render it pointless as you are doing your kind acts with selfish intentions. By being kind for the simple reason that it is right removes the need to threaten your children, your friends, your family or your neighbours with silly things such as the devil.
See also:
Gods wrath.
Eternal Damnation.
Being sent back to earth as a loathed bug.
It is scaremongering and doesn't encourage good feelings.
Now being kind isn't always easy, I certainly still have difficulty with it.
Sometimes it is as if some people aren't even people, thus don't deserve kindness.
See also:
Your cruel boss.
Your nasty co-worker.
Your soulless in-law.
The unpleasant stranger that acted unkindly towards you.
The person in your life you know who continues to do mean things to you.
But reminding yourself (Verbally - out loud or in your mind) that they are human as well, does help.
Remind yourself that the unpleasant things they do are just reactions to things happening in their life.
The whole "Every action has a reaction" kind of comes in here. The good old butterfly effect, working at it's best. Every person in the worlds actions are reactions.
To you, it might seem like they are out to get you, when in reality they are just venting their anger and frustration. When you understand this, it is a lot easier to deal with them.
Instead of taking on their anger and becoming angry yourself (bound to then share your fresh new anger with someone, spreading it like an H1N1 virus), acknowledge their anger and put it aside. DO NOT TAKE IT ON. This is not your battle, it is not your problem. Step back, be kind with your words and once the person has moved on, move on too.
You can stop the cycle, this virus, this chain of anger. Just remember, everyone is human, reacting to actions that were reactions to actions.
I'm still learning and practising as well. This is a life long journey. I might not be able to reach the top of my destination over night, but I can at least take small steps towards it.
Be kind with your words, be kind with your hands and be kind with your minds.
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