“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another.” It’s the line my Mother said many times as she tried to teach all eight of us kids to learn the art of getting along.
I was reminded of this while stopping for a cup of coffee at a little coffee shop in Prescott Valley. I think I heard Mom again. Sometimes I think she’s watching me cause I often hear her quiet whispers.
I ordered my coffee and the barista served me with kindness and a beautiful smile at 7:30 AM. I commented on her pleasant demeanor and thanked her for being kind. She said, “my coworker and I were just talking about customer service and how important it is to be real and genuinely nice. You don’t see that very often anymore”.
This comment came from a young lady who understands the benefits of simply being kind. I asked her where she learned how to be kind and she responded by saying she was taught at home by her parents. Her parents were not mean, but they wouldn’t let her get away with bad behavior, which taught her how to be kind and to respect others.
Being kind takes very little energy or effort if you practice it every day. It will become a good habit. Habits are formed over time and eventually they become a part of who you are.
The habit of kindness has no bad side effects that negatively impact you or those around you. Sometimes, we see the results of bad habits leading to many forms of bad behaviors and addiction. But the habit of kindness is only good and you can be kind to your heart’s content and have no regrets.
Rome was not built in a day, but it was built daily. In the same way, our character is not built in one day, but it is built daily. Once a habit is formed, it’s hard to break.
My Mother knew if she taught us to be kind as children, it would become a habit and eventually a way of life for us. That one simple principle being taught by my Mother has served me well in every aspect of my life. There are so many benefits of being kind at home, at work, in our travels and in all of my interactions.
In our homes, the benefits create peace instead of chaos. In our place of work, kindness creates an atmosphere of working through difficult issues instead of taking the route of litigation. In our travels, the benefit of kindness prevents road rage. In all my interactions, kindness reminds me to be understanding and patient instead of being biased and critical.
As I’m writing this I am reminded that I am not “perfectly kind”. There will always be times when I don’t feel like being kind, but because I have formed this habit, I will always revert back to “be kind to one another”.
I believe the influence of kindness could change the world in which we live. It all starts with me being kind to those I love the most – my family. Then it spreads to my friends, my neighbors, co-workers and all the people I meet each day.
I’m always surprised by the lack of kindness I sense in this world but I’m equally surprised by the simple kindness I receive from someone at a coffee shop. I’m convinced, the act of genuine kindness is a power that is underestimated but when it is practiced would revolutionize our homes, churches, workplaces and our world.
“Be kind to each other, tenderhearted and forgiving”.
This is a simple concept but it is not easy to practice unless you form the habit of being kind. How about you? Do you notice kindness from others? Are there relationships you need to be a little more kind in?
