Yesterday a client asked me tearfully, “What’s going on in this world with the lack of kindness? I do my best to be kind to everyone I meet, but more often than not I encounter selfishness, indifference or cruelty.” I told my client that, “So many good people who taught and practiced kindness have been killed for it -Jesus, Gandhi, MLK, Tibetan Buddhist monks murdered by the Chinese, and the list goes on. We live in a highly imperfect world where the majority of people are governed by self-interest, self-protection, and loyalties to their tribes, such as ethnic, religious, and political groups. Their circle of care rarely extends beyond their parents, siblings, spouse, and children, and sometimes it doesn’t even extend there. They show a remarkable degree of apathy and indifference to the injustices discrimination, inequities, deprivation, and suffering that others endure. If they are feeling tired, annoyed or irritated they don’t take care of themselves and find peace. Instead, they snap at or lash out at others. Instead of letting things go, they will rush to hold up their middle finger, honk their horn loudly or say something like go to hell. That’s why the good people, like you, are so crucial, just like beacons of light in a dark world. I know it’s very hard to feel good when you keep dishing out kindness and get shit flung in your face. My suggestion is that you take pride in being a kind person and feel grateful for the chance to spread kindness to others. Have compassion for yourself and try not to let mean people destroy your peace or your kindness. “Thank you. That helps. I just don’t feel like it completely solves the problem.” I know. This issue has been debated since humans could think and talk, since Og stole Mog’s dinner and hit him with a stone when he tried to get it back. We will carry the issue of kindness vs. selfishness with us when we leave the earth for space once the earth becomes unlivable because of corporations that prefer profit over taking measures to spare our shared planet from overheating.
