Kindness

Last week I waited in carpool line amidst fellow kid-fetchers, each of us in various motor vehicles watching bicycles or those on foot drift past.  The day decked us in gorgeous array – sunny, eighty degrees, gentle breeze.  My van windows were open.  I crept forward, letting my foot rise off the brake ever so subtly progressing toward the sidewalk where chatting children waited. 

Then came the honking.  HONK.  HONK.  HOOONNNNK.  I looked at a small parking lot where some folks choose to leave their cars and walk up to the school.  A mammoth white SUV was blasting its horn at a small car driven by a granny-looking lady who was clearly a bit confused about where she should park, exactly.  The Grandmother moved through what unfolded as a three attempt effort to back into a space as the female driver of the SUV whaled on that horn over and over.  I was so disappointed in the absence of kindness.  Who could really be in such a hurry as to not see the old lady was TRYING?  The whole event was only, maybe, three minutes and they both drove away scattering a cloud of ugly energy.  I couldn’t help but wonder what the children with the horn-honker learned about kindness.

Dictionary.com defines kindness.
1.  the state or quality of being kind
2.  a kind act
3.  kind behavior
4.  friendly feeling; liking

I feel that definition offers nothing without defining kind.
1.  of a good or benevolent nature or disposition, as a person
2.  having, showing, or proceeding from benevolence
3.  indulgent, considerate, or helpful; humane
4.  mild, gentle, clement

Perhaps we might each consider kindness.  We cannot let anger and hate overtake the collective spirit of our world.  Every little thing we do adds to the united life-force of humanity.   Haters don’t seem to be scared to flip the finger, shout profane words, launch car bombs.  Why should we be afraid to hold open doors, let others out in traffic, wait and breathe deeply as a confused person parks a car, be pleasant to a cashier, tip generously, offer “please” and “thank you” liberally, look people in the eye and smile.  I assert that piles of little acts weigh as much as one big one! 

We wrongly think ourselves powerless much of the time.  On the contrary, we have so much power that we wield without thought of ourselves or others.  Power to heal and to hurt with so much as a word or our hands, a smile or a honk, a moment of silence, a song.  People power can pulse the universe with joy or junk it up with hostility.  Kindness is necessary.  Kindness is a gift to ourselves and to others.  Kindness is powerful.        

Humanity

praise human hallowed power to pray

preach and prune

about beauty, lost wandering without

knowing the scale

tips to the flip side of goodness as we

flood the light side

with abundant acts, kindness apostles