“In a world where you can be anything, be kind”

"In A World Where You Can Be Anything, Be Kind"

A small sentence that in all its simplicity has gained great impact because it says so much. In our time of endless possibilities, choosing to be kind, good and caring is not always the easy way. When the norm is to be tough and independent, choosing to be kind can be the act of rebellion. So simple in theory; more difficult in reality. Maybe because most of us don't think that "kind" is an active choice, but something you just kind of are. "He's really nice" is something we say about a person we don't have much to say about. At least we say something, maybe we think. It's not bad, but we also don't attribute a direct positive value to the sentence - rather neutral. We could have just as easily said "she is as she is" (i.e. nothing..)

The word kind is associated with other words sometimes with naive, mean, gullible and perhaps a little passive. Or as in the example above: even "pointless" or "uninteresting". The opposite of smart, tough, critical, active and meaningful/interesting which are considered desirable qualities - what we learn from an early age that we need to be in order to get by in the world. But without taking away the value of those qualities, maybe kind (or good) can at least be friends with them? Maybe that little word can be so much more. Being kind in a tough reality requires both courage, integrity and the belief that a better world is possible. As I said - because it takes a rebel who doesn't agree to go with the flow.

The choices today are many and surely they confuse even us adults? In other words, it is not at all strange that the children get completely lost in the storm of millions of options. Being kind is perhaps something we actually need to practice. Just like we learn to write and count.