What Does It Cost You to Be Kind?
Maybe it costs much more not to be
You cannot do kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late — Ralph Waldo Emerson
I tend to agree with Mr. Emerson.
Take a look at the state of the world today. It seems that so many people take life for granted. There’s so much hatred, selfishness, greed, violence, and just negative vibes streaming through the hearts and minds of people all over the planet.
Kindness seems to elude us.
Everywhere you go you can see people in need and at the same time people who lavish in their excess.
It hurts my heart and disturbs my mind when I ride through the streets in my city and see people sitting and laying around trying to sleep literally on the streets, especially when it’s cold.
Some people say they don’t understand how somebody can just lay down and go to sleep on the sidewalk. Well, it’s because they’re human too just like anybody else. And the human body has to rest and sleep. Homeless people are exhausted. They sleep where they can.
And this scene is in every city.
Homelessness should not be.
How is it right for someone to have more than they could ever want or need enough for their next 10 generations and someone else has literally nothing and has no idea what their next 10 minutes could be like?
In both wealthy countries and third-world countries, people are going hungry, they don’t have proper clothing and shoes, and they are living in squalor and with children no less!
This should not be. This is unkind.
But, the gap between the rich and poor, and everybody in between, is not the only evidence of unkindness in this world.
What about everyday common courtesy that seems to escape so many people? What about treating other people the way we all would like to be treated? What about showing compassion, empathy, and goodwill toward others?
Here’s my plea to you.
Do something nice and kind for someone today. You never know how much someone may just need someone to show them a little attention and to help them with something. Do it while you can and from the goodness of your heart because you never know when that person who needs a hand might be you.
Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you — Princess Diana
It’s really not hard to be kind. And, to be honest, it seems like being unkind takes so much more energy, and negative energy at that. Negative energy can weigh you down whether you realize it or not.
Negative energy is what’s destroying our world and the planet because of the seeds that have been sown for so long by humans.
I believe kindness and love can reverse the effects of evilness and hate if enough people would focus more on positive energy such as being kind.
What does it cost you to be kind?
Well, let’s see. Being kind could cost you:
- A little bit of your time
- Positive energy from your mind
- Empathy from your heart
And that’s about it. If you choose an act of kindness that has a dollar amount associated with it that is just fine, but not necessary. It doesn’t have to cost anything to do something kind for someone.
Acts of kindness that have no money attached to it:
- Smiling and greeting someone
- Helping an elderly man across the street
- Holding the door for someone in a wheelchair
- Giving someone a sincere compliment
- Encouraging someone who seems defeated
- Tying someone’s shoe for them
- Sharing your umbrella with someone in the rain
Being kind is positive energy that feeds the soul of the giver and receiver. It gives off a well-spring of healing energy because positive energy raises our vibrations.
The opposite is also true. Being unkind could cost you more than you know because unkindness thrives on negative energy that could lead to health problems. So, not being kind can cost a lot more than being kind.
According to WebMD:
Negative energy in the form of poorly expressed anger can cause dysfunction of the heart and digestive system.
The bottom line is no matter what in any situation, it would make the world a better place if we all took the time to pause and choose to be kind to someone.
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible — The 14th Dalai Lama
Here are some awesome stories of kindness that are great reads!
Joyce Nielsen writes about the kindness she enjoys giving to her beloved pet, which is important in the world today.
A Shayens Abran writes about self-kindness after being in a toxic relationship, which is empowering and necessary.
Many thanks to the editors of DEP Dr. Gabriella Korosi, Annelise Lords, Dr. Preeti Singh, and Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles for their inspiration.
Thank you for supporting my passion for writing! I appreciate you.