Kindness

Mural, Houston, Texas

 

 

 

 

Being kind. It's something many of us have beome more aware of since early March, when life as we'd grown used to was turned into life as we'd never before imagined.

Kindness, friendliness and good manners were very noticeable at the start of the major lockdown in the UK. The few people one met when out strictly observed their distance and said hello or smiled (I live in north west England, where this happens anyway, but in lockdown people seemed even friendier - there was a need for contact).

Now, with coronavirus around the world, and restrictions of some sort or another still in place, it seems even more relevant that we human beings all remember that we're human beings and express kindness and consideration to each other. We're all in his together. Especially at this time of year when families are eager to get together over the Christmas holiday period.

But are people still being as kind or considerate? Experience of this when out walking suggests "No, not so much". There are those who courtesously observe distancing, and who smile and say thank you when we give way on a narrower pavement and wait until they've passed. And there are those who totally ignore distancing, carry on as though nothing is happening and - I have to be honest here - look pretty miserable (as they may be), don't make eye contact, don't acknowledge with a smile or a "thankyou" if you wait for them to pass. They seem very unaware of others, and they don't show much evidence of kindness either.

The book "The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse" by Charlie Mackesey is full of gentle wisdom and reminders that none of us is perfect, but we can all support and help each other along the way by being kind. To quote from the book:

"Nothing beats kindness," said the horse, "It sits quietly beyond all things."

"Being kind to yourself is one of the greatest kindnesses." said the mole.

Being kind might involve being more tolerant and understanding of others. It's a quality which is difficult to pin down and put into one explanatory word, but you know it when you see or experience it. Kindness is a manifestation of the transpersonal quality of Love. In Psychosynthesis terms it's an expression of love in action; in Astrological Psychology it's symbolised by the planet Neptune's qualities of love and inclusiveness.

Earlier this year I watched the film "It's a beautiful day in the neighbourhood" starring Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers, or Mister Rogers, as he was known when he presented his TV show for children. I knew nothing about him; Mister Rogers was not on UK TV in the 1970s. But I enjoyed the film very much because it was almost 100% about being kind to people, accepting them as they are, acknowledging their faults, fears and misgivings and not judging them.

The film is based on a true story, but the facts have been tweaked as film versions of stories so often are. In this case, it didn't matter too much because the end product was heartwarming, showing us how people could be and how, if they were wounded or hurt inside, this could be overcome, transcended and transformed.

Love, acceptance and being kind - worth striving for, I think.