What do you want
to see when you look at your life? If handed a difficult assignment, how did
you acquit it? Victories, losses, festivals and tragedies engage you
personally. But the colour of events comes from the presence or absence of
kindness. Not only benevolence, and the willingness to answer need, kindness
can be synonymous with humanity. ‘A real human being’ is distinguished by
kindness.
Kindness wishes
good for others, but we need to be careful. The doing of good must be good on
their terms. Saving souls, for example, can be cruel, with a long history. You
can’t use assumptions, nor expectations. Less can be controlled than we would
prefer to see.
How can we grow in
kindness? Like any other practice it must become a priority. Other things come
second. Growth in any useful part of character is only step by step: seeking kindly
moments. Slowing down. Doing no harm. Being prepared for teaching when finally
understanding you know nothing at all. Putting it all in the frame, from
beginning to end.
Kindness is related to justice; it gives a
place or chance to belong. In all humanity, all nature, all salvation.
