So it drives me crazy when I hear folks speak of performing a “random act of kindness”!! They do not understand the nature of random, and the nature of kindness.
Oh, I know what they mean to say…they are advocating the being kind to anyone you meet with no thought of gain or profit to yourself. A great sentiment and I affirm it, and aspire to it as well!
BUT: if it is “random”, then why does their need to be an exhortation to do it? Does not the exhortation itself, if heard, processed, received and acted upon obliterate randomness? Randomness is mindless, complete and utter chance happening regardless of if there is a consciousness aware of it and witness…or not.
I submit it is impossible for a human being to do anything random, ever. I think that our very humanness eliminates “random” from possibility. Now, things can happen to us in a way that is, if not random, at least very close to it…but what we do about it, how we receive them, or react to them, all that involves choice.
And here is another thing…why is there even a need to exhort one another to be kind in the first place? I think it is because it is not the natural thing for us to be inherently kind. In fact, it is in many ways unusual, or we wouldn’t feel so great when someone is kind to us.
Kindness: it is a conscious choice to treat someone in a way that is higher, better, more loving…it is noble, and thus rare and admired when it is seen or experienced. Nothing. Random. About. It.
Let me add my exhortation…love everyone whom you are privileged to meet…treat them better than yourself, and prefer them and their needs to your own. Do not just love those who love you, or be kind to those who are kind to you…anyone can do that. But aspire to be kind to the stranger, the alien and fatherless, the widow and those who mourn.
True Kindness is measured by what you do for the ones you have absolutely no chance to benefit from in return.
No get out there and…
BE.
KIND!
Love, Charissa

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