Being kind

Thanks for this post, OP, especially given the snarky climate of this site...

It really is so important to be kind to people because you never know how that kindness is going to strike in people. Maybe it comes when people need it the most... maybe they take your kindness and are able to pass it forward to someone else... and it generally costs nothing. I always appreciate the reminder, because it is so simple, yet so easy to get wrapped up in your own life and forget.

Stop fighting. Just be kind. Please! People may think I’m weak-hearted or too sweet for my own good and they may be right. But that’s a choice I made. It’s strategic and a necessity. It’s how I fight in this world. In another life, I would have really liked to just do laundry and taxes and work out and be an alpha and not give a shit but not in this universe.

I find the simple gesture of thanking someone for how they helped you, even years later, makes an amazing effect.

Last summer I was walking with a friend who’s a college professor. A woman comes up to him and ask if was a history professor. When he said yes, she said that she was his student 20 years ago, and it was the best class she had taken. Even though it wasn’t even in her field (she’s an architect), she still uses snippets of what he taught her all the time.

What a wonderful moment for my friend. He beamed the rest of the day.

On my headstone “be kind to children and animals “.

I have had experiences of receptionists and medical or dental assistants being very kind in difficult situations. The one that stands out to me was when I had abscessed tooth in 2014. At the time, I was going through other personal issues as a close friend of mine had died of cancer several months before and I was working high stress job in home health care. I was really depressed from those issues and physically ill from the abscess. My prior dentist had retired several months before and a friend recommended her dentist to me. I went for the exam and the dentist was very kind and compassionate and immediately prescribed the antibiotics and pain meds. I hadn't slept much the night before and looked exhausted. The dental assistant was very kind and I think she sensed all the stress I was in. I was sitting in the dental chair and she put her hand on my shoulder and she said in a very kind and concerned voice "I hope you feel better in parts of your life". The dentist performed the root canal a week or so later and that particular dental assistant was very kind in making me feel comfortable during the root canal and the crown build up process. I went that to that dentist for a couple of years after and when I moved away I was sad because of the care and service I received from them.