Try A Little Kindness
By David L. Shadrick
Hello and welcome to Calamity Politics and “News That Bites” with David Shadrick and Calamity Clown. Calamity has stood us up. She sent me a note scribbled on the back of a Nancy Pelosi fund raising letter telling me she intended to spend the afternoon curled up in Bernie Sanders’ lap, while he reads his “Medicare4All” plan aloud.
It Ain’t Easy
This is probably the hardest article I have ever tried to write. It shouldn’t be that hard to simply remind everyone that we all need to be a little bit nicer to each other. As the world around us experiences the chaos that is existence, we need to remember to take a few extra minutes to embrace kindness, as a life choice.
Reserve Your Condemnation
When I do fundraising I often times have to remind volunteers not to become agitated or angry when someone doesn’t make a donation, or worse, is disrespectful. I remind them that there are so many charities begging for money; and people have limited resources. I know what it’s like to be on a fund raisers platinum mailing list.
“Not Today”
That fella that just said ‘no’ to our Paws 4 Life campaign may already be donating 10% of his annual income to the American Cancer Society. People choose to support different charities for different reasons.
From The Giver’s Perspective
Maybe, it helps to understand that his favorite uncle died of cancer, and he wants to be part of the war on cancer. Or, his mother suffers from schizophrenia and he supports mental health issues. Looking from the giver’s perspective, that person is ‘kind’, just not your kind, of kind. LOL
Fear And Stress
When we are afraid, love and kindness usually go out the window. If we are stressed financially, or psychologically, we forget kindness. When we are traumatized by dynamic social change we retreat and defend. But, I would ask that you speak slowly and softly. Ditch that quick, easy, angry answer; remember love and kindness, trumps hate and bigotry. It really does, we just need to give it oxygen.
Nightly Shootouts
Everyday partisan media outlets promote fear, hate, and exclusion. It is now common place to see CNN shooting it out nightly with FoxNews, or Sinclair Broadcasting lobbing conservative grenades daily at MSNBC. The night-time, high income pundits, make their livings encouraging social division. Social tension is fodder for their followers.
The “Others”
They push frightening stories about the “others”. You know, anybody who is different than them. It could be politically. Or, it could be culturally, or religiously. There are so many ways we are different; color, gender, ethnic history, gods and goddesses. Nativism and bigotry does not embrace coloring outside the lines. Kindness and love allows for drawing new images, maybe even a new masterpiece.
Think About That
Often acts of kindness are viewed malevolently and are twisted into little resemblance of truth, or reality. Acts of kindness are sometimes criminalized. Such an example is a minister in Florida who was arrested for feeding the homeless. I can’t conceive of a society where feeding the poor and hungry could be be illegal. I challenge you to think about that.
A Conscious Decision
I think being kind, in today’s world, must be a conscious decision. And it must be worked on every minute, of every day. Be generous with your time. Give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Share a smile with a stranger. Open a door for someone behind you. Share an umbrella on a rainy day. Endeavor to encourage, not discourage. Share that piece of cake (with me!). Always remember; to pay it forward.
Abandon The Inflexible Mind
I ask that you consciously resist the temptation to accept a rigid ideology, or orthodoxy. Be flexible, be adaptable. There are other voices with a different message. It is okay to change your mind. Be skeptical of the demagogue.
Try It
Be ready to attend religious services outside of your faith. Switch your TV channel, once in awhile; it won’t hurt. Volunteer your time, when possible, because sometimes helpful people are better than gold. Be generous. Never let the plate pass without a contribution. Open your palate. Visit a Halal restaurant, try some Muslim food and be amazed! Open your mind. Take a philosophy class, or better yet, travel the world. Embrace, not divide.
For My Christian Friends
Finally, for my Christian friends I would like to share this biblical story from Mathew 34-40:
(34) “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. (35) For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, (36) I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
(37) “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? (38) When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? (39) When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
(40) “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Love, Peace and Kindness!
