In A World Where You Can Be Anything, Be Kind
“Dad, you’re always so serious,” my son told me. “You never have any fun.”
My initial reaction to my son’s accusation was defensiveness. Of course I have fun, I thought. First of all, my work is fun. And I have fun in other ways, too. I enjoy spending time with my children. And I love to read.
As I thought about it more, however, I realized that my son was basically correct in his assessment. To be sure, I wasn’t making time for fun in the way that my children do.
To some extent, I think society frowns on fun. Even with children, there is often a negative connotation around having too much fun. “Don’t jump in the mud puddle. Stop joking around so much. Stop, well, having fun.”
As adults, hard work is rewarded. Fun isn’t. When we do have fun, it’s often the shallow, temporary kind. Going out for a night on the town can be fun, but the next morning may not be. Practical jokes are fun, but they are short lived, and often occur at someone else’s expense.
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo Buscaglia
We sometimes forget the ability that exists in each of us: to choose, in any moment, to mindfully respond with kindness instead of reacting negatively.
We can bring out the best in others by showing them the best in ourselves, and this really can make all the difference. Practicing kindness isn’t always the easy thing to do, but that’s why practice makes perfect!
Be the reason someone smiles. Be the end of the line for a cycle of arguments. Make someone’s life just a little better, and the pleasure of doing so might just be reflected in your own well-being, too.
In a world where you can be anything, be kind.
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