I Try to Be Kind to Everyone

The man on the corner, love-beams shot out like light through his wobbled teeth with his smile. Standing in front of him felt like a trance of overflowing compassion.

My son and I walked away, and as we stood at the corner waiting for the light to change, there was this tired woman with two unkempt kids tugging along her, while carrying an infant and other plastic bags. We had to help them cross the street.

I was letting myself be intensely affected by a particular emotion, a concussion of gratitude, sadness, kindness, and pity. I was grateful that I could share, that I have a son who took me out to dinner, that he has a warm place where I can sleep over when I visit him, that we would snack on the take home pizza later in the night, and that he was holding my hand at the moment.

My son looked at me with pride, his eyes saying, "Oh mom, I love that you feel things." He did not say, "It's okay, they will be okay." Because we both knew they might not be okay. And he did not say, "You'll be fine, don't cry." because he knew that I am much more than fine, and that I am upset at times because of things that softly kill me. My usual reaction is 'Well, I've had it with humanity. We are headed towards destruction." The deterioration of human existence. New World order? The elite? I don't know....The marginalized....Suffering. Darkness. It leaves me joyless. .

Somewhere, somehow, I know many are rooting toward compassion and kindness and love and light shining through the darkness. This is something bigger and beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not have lasted if humanity were inherently evil.

Agony. Relief. Not easy. Hope.

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SomeLikeItHot ·

You notice the quiet desperation of many lives that aren't earned. A prayer helps me receive a salve for my heart when it is overwhelming.

SW-User

@SomeLikeItHot I like how you sum it all up with the word desperation. Yeah, I am a people watcher, and sometimes I get affected by what I see in the world. Too much suffering go unnoticed.

SomeLikeItHot ·

@SW-User The important thing to me is that we stay touched. That the harshness that is seen doesn't numb out hearts as we become aware of the inhumane shelter and resources that our countries once Provided.

SW-User

@SomeLikeItHot Yeah...let us not be lukewarm. It's the ultimate worst kind of apathy. 😔 We do whatever small act of kindness if we can, but like you said, our hearts mustn't become numb.

SomeLikeItHot ·

@SW-User Church has been my touchstone to offer that. I use to teach computers to elder women so that they could teach the children in poor neighborhoods. It doesn't do much good to have computers if you don't know how to use them. My favorite volunteer work was as a Racial Relations Facilitator for our study groups with sister churches. I never failed to learn something new!

SW-User

@SomeLikeItHot Wow, that's good! Now, I'm beginning to learn things about you.☺

SomeLikeItHot ·

@SW-User
True, this was 15 years ago.
Life has so many chapters but I am still a very big supporter of interracial communication at institutional levels.

SW-User

@SomeLikeItHot @SomeLikeItHot I agree. Hence I wrote hence this, my friend. https://similarworlds.com/5396334-I-Think-a-Lot/1225267-Someday-I-will-paint-an-abstract-depicting-the

There's nothing noble in setting oneself apart from the rest of humanity. Everything is turning global now, and hope that racial discrimination will become moot and academic, but rather gear towards interracial connectivity.

SomeLikeItHot ·

@SW-User Interracial connectivity to me is the obvious intelligent approach. It is my life's mission in many ways and why I fundamentally support #BLM at all levels. I do accept that all races deserve equal treatment but I find only one race in the US not receiving the true constitutional entitlements of our country.