A note on Kindness
By: Josue Ferreira
Tags: Kindness To Others, Kindness Matters, Kindness

I have been meaning to write about kindness for some time, but I did not really know how to start. I guess that has more to do with the fact that I often fail to come across as a kind person. I am not saying that I am not a kind person, no. It is just that people tend not to expect kindness from me. Who really does expect kindness from anyone? I am writing these words without really knowing if I will succeed at getting the message across. I will try.

To quote the late Chester Bennington, “When life leaves us blind, Love keeps us kind.” Love keeps us kind. I was listening to one of his live performances, and I knew, I knew what to write. The how on the other hand was a different matter. The song messenger by Linkin Park is probably the love letter we should send to ourselves. A gentle reminder that we shouldn’t let the troubles of this world break us, make us less than what and who we are. It is hard, I know that very well.

I know it is hard to trust another person, it is especially harder when we feel like we are alone. You are not alone, remember that. For as long as there is one person out there who knows you, who remembers you, you will never be alone. Remember that. I say, please, remember that you are not alone. If I remember you, then you are not alone. I just wish you could see it that way. Kind people tend to not trust others, and who can blame them? It is difficult to keep the spirits up when we give more than we get in return. So when someone tries to give us something without asking for anything in return we raise the walls to protect ourselves, and we do not trust them. We do not give them a chance.

The hardest part of writing these words is knowing that I may not succeed. Why should I worry? I am writing these words, I am writing these words for you, and I am writing these words for me. So, even if I fail to get through to you, I may still be able to get them through to me, maybe. All this because if there is one thing that we failed, almost constantly, to do is remind ourselves that we are we not alone, remind ourselves that we are not less, that we should keep going, keep being kind to others. Why should I worry? I worry because if I fail to get these words through to you, who, then, will remind me when I can no longer keep going?

The instincts, that invisible thing that guides us, it is a tricky thing to understand, to interpret. Do you not trust someone because you do not know them, or because you are worried that you may get hurt if you let that person into your life? I know the dilemma. This is where the words, “love keeps us kind”, come to save the day. In spite of how you may feel, the greatest gift a kind person can give to another is a chance, a chance to do right, a chance to prove themselves wrong, a chance to help another person, a chance to no do anything at all. That is what kindness is all about. What the other person does has nothing to do with you. Do not close your door because you are scared or worried that you might get hurt. You might even surprise yourself.

I feel like I have sidetracked a little. I wrote earlier that we should remind ourselves that we are not less, I used the word less because if I had written that we should remind ourselves that we are more than others because we are kind, I would not be talking about a kindness. The one who gives away to profit, often thinks less of the ones who gives away without expecting anything in return. Yet, the kindness we show to others often rewards us with gifts that we cannot buy from other people: Joy, hope, love, kindness itself can only be acquired with kindness. Kindness does not keep tabs.

For you, the ones hiding, do not cut yourselves off from this world. You are not alone, and I need you to know that. They say that good people end with good people. If you believe in it, then you are a good person too, a kind one. If I found you, you must be a good person too. Do not let your bad experiences spoil your present with insecurities, do not stop doing good to others. Do not stop being kind to others because you fear you may get hurt in the process. Keep your door open, and good people will find you the same way I found you.