“Kindness is the language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”
—attributed to Mark Twain
My daughter Christina has moved to New York. She left home when she went to college, but then came back again to reconnect and figure out what kind of work she wanted to do. Her passion has always been art and design, so she applied for her master’s in business and design in New York, packed her bags, and left once again.
It feels different this time. In my gut, I know she’s on her way for good.
I’m happy for her, but as I sit to do my morning meditation, my eyes well with tears, and I feel sad, really sad. You could say—and friends do say—“Snap out of it, and be happy for her!” I am, I am. But I still feel really emotional.
Life is predictable—and yet oh, so unpredictable. We feel blessed one minute and lonely the next. Our lives can feel so full and then so empty. One minute we’re laughing, our houses are full, and the next day they can be quiet and desolate.
So goes life. And you never know about someone else’s life. It may look easy to you on the outside, but it can be dark and lonely for them on the inside.
I know many, many people understand this. I posted a quote attributed to Plato on social media—“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” The quote struck a profound chord, because it was shared almost a million times in just a few days.
We all want to be treated with kindness, because we’re all struggling in some way, shape, or form. I had to learn this as an adult, because growing up in a large, competitive, and tough Irish Catholic family, I used to confuse kindness with weakness. When I grew up, I learned differently. I now understand that kindness doesn’t mean weakness. You have to be really strong to be kind.
I’m not saying it’s easy. But you do have to be strong and patient to be kind. You have to really be mindful and do it.
A person may look “happy on the outside,” but who knows what’s happening on the inside? Her kid may have just left home, and she’s sad. Her mother may be sick. Her home may be in disarray. The list goes on and on.
So let’s start a social kindness movement this very moment. Think how kindness makes you feel, then move out into the world from there. If we really are the strongest nation on earth, then who better than us to lead a kindness revolution?
And if you see my girl on the streets of the Big Apple, please be kind to her.
Dear God, thank you for the kindness, mercy, and generosity you show me every day, and I ask you to help me to see those around me in the same way—as people who are loved and treasured. Please make my heart as tender as yours, so that I may actively reach out and show kindness and generosity to all the people in my life today. Amen.