Don’t get me wrong. I believe that we should cultivate kindness around us. It will help lift everyone’s up and spread the positive energy around us.
But it shouldn’t be random.
I can understand the sentiment that offering any random act of kindness can help a lost soul, can restore humanity and can perhaps save lives. But the very fact that we accept it should be random, suggests we don’t see it as a norm to be kind. In fact, our society has become so self-absorbed, self-centred and self-consumed, that we feel offering any act of kindness is unexpected.
Are we offering money for the homeless person because it makes us feel better? Are we buying a coffee for the next one in line to pay forward the kindness we received yesterday? Why are we here to be kind?
My point is that random act of kindness is just it, random. It may offer a burst of positive energy temporarily to those benefiting from it. But it is transient, not sustainable and does not translate to offer any form of permanent solution to those who are still suffering.
I am proposing that, instead of an act of random kindness, that we should all aim to be mindful of why and how we can be kind to ourselves and to those around us. We are all connected in this universe. If we can all be more mindful of how we can be kind to everyone, then it becomes a common vision for everyone to lift each other up.
If only one person chooses to be kind, he or she may not be able to make much impact. But if everyone chooses to be kind, then we have a common vision to transform this world to be a better place for everyone.
In fact, our vision should be to offer routine act of kindness, whenever we can. That may be a lofty goal but at least there is a purpose and hope to all the sufferings in this world.