To get to work every morning, I must exit a very quiet residential street onto a busy highway. Wonderfully frequently someone slows down to let me enter into the traffic. When that happens, I always roll down my window and give a grateful ‘Thank-you’ wave. At the same time, something deeper and more profound occurs: I am motivated to continue the ‘Virtuous Cycle’, to honor the Social Contract, to pay forward in spades and more the gift of kindness and consideration I have received.
And if no one is letting you out in traffic? Well, find a way to jumpstart a virtuous cycle of your own. In a world where you can be anything, choose to be kind. And consider being kind to unkind people for they need it most. You never know when a small act of compassionate consideration, a gracious, thoughtful courtesy can snowball. And if it doesn’t, so what? You’ve made your choice as to who you wish to be and you’ve lived your values, you’ve become the change you wish to see and those are all wonderful things!
Closing Quotes:
“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” – Dalai Lama, b. 1935
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop c. 620 BCE – 564 BCE
“Kindness can become its own motive. We are made kind by being kind.” – Eric Hoffer, 1902-1983, social/moral philosopher
“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” – Diana, Princess of Wales, 1961-1997
“If we are asking for the world to be kind, we must first ask what we are doing to add more kindness to the world. If we are asking for the world to be more loving, we must first ask what we are doing to add more love to the world. We are the vessels for the things we seek.” – Joél Leon
As always, I share what I most want and need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier