“What wisdom can you
find that is greater than kindness?”
– Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Join me in this exploration. Choose three people in your life today who you
respect the most.
I’ve got my three. One is a woman in her thirties. The second and third are old
friends in their senior years.
The one connecting point is that each individual has consistently demonstrated
the virtue of kindness. It’s the first card they always draw from their
deck of possible behaviors.
I wish I could say I show kindness on a daily basis, but I can’t. So much gets
in my way. Often I’m too quick to evaluate a person, as if I know what
motivates them to act in a certain way. Or I get too caught up in what’s in my
best interest. Often, I just don’t think about how a simple act of kindness
could change the moment and bring relief to another human being.
Many years ago, I fired an employee on the spot for screaming at me and calling
me a jerk in front of the whole staff. Months later, I found out his wife had
been in a serious accident the night before. He was three hours late for work,
missed a meeting with a major client, and I jumped all over him for his
incompetence.
The three people I respect the most would have handled the situation in a
wiser, kinder fashion. A lack of knowledge is not an excuse. Kindness beats out
anger, indifference and self-righteousness every time.
I’m getting older.
And kinder.
I hope.