Kindness Is Free

Breadnbeyond.com tells us that "With an average reading speed, our voice actors can read 2.5 words per second." Now, I don't know if any of my readers are voice actors (if you are, that's pretty amazing!), but let's just assume for a moment that this detail holds true for all of us. Let's assume that we do, in fact, have the ability to read 2.5 words per second. With this in mind, I invite you to explore a concept called - you guessed it! - kindness. 

• "I like your shirt!" - Only four words can make someone's day. With our established ratio of words per second, this would take you less than two seconds to say!
• "How are you today?" - And this one is four as well. Again, only two seconds for this question.
• "Cool glasses." - If you're in a rush, this compliment is only two words! It won't even take you a second!
• "Do you want to sit with us at lunch?" - This act of kindness is nine words, and it'll only take up a little over three seconds of your precious time.  

Kindness. According to Google's online dictionary, kindness can be defined as "the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate." It's a really simple concept if you think about it, but it can be difficult to execute. On occasion, you just won't feel like putting up with that annoying coworker or unorganized kid in your English class. You won't have the patience. Or perhaps you woke up on the wrong side of the bed and aren't in the mood to talk to a new student at school. We all subconsciously judge people without getting to know them, a habit that is far from kind. Human beings are quite judgmental creatures. We put a lot importance on appearances, whether we want to or not; "...our perception of people, and their perceptions of us... [are] actually built largely on unconscious inferences that are made employing factors such as a person’s body language, voice, clothing, appearance, and social category" ("How We Are Judged by Our Appearance"). It is easy to make assumptions about people's characters based on a nose piercing, an ironed tie, or short shorts. Kindness is a straightforward thing on paper, but in real-life, is rather hard to employ. 

It can be draining to be kind to everyone you encounter. The waitress at the Olive Garden may have been rude, messed up your order, and failed to serve your food warm, but does she really deserve harsh treatment? Road rage is a phenomenal example of this - sure, that Honda merged into your lane without a signal and is wayyyy too close to your vehicle, but there is no need to roll down your window and scream at them. A simple honk, for the sake of safety, will suffice. Although kindness can be challenging at times, there is a simple rule to help remind us. And I'm sure you've been hearing about it since the crayon-filled days of Kindergarten: treat others the way you want to be treated. Don't roll your eyes at me! It's elementary advice, yes - but it is sound elementary advice. 

The truth is, you never know what is going on in another person's life. They may show up to school perfectly cheery, only to return home, weigh themselves, binge eat, purge, and hate what they see in the mirror. The boy who sits next to you in biology may seem very put together in public, but someone dear to them was killed in a car crash last week. Another kid may be homosexual, but too afraid of rejection to come out. And that nerd you always tease for trying too hard? Maybe her family lives in extreme poverty, and she is working passionately so that one day, she'll have the means to thrive. You never know what has happened to someone. You never know what is going on with someone. And you never know what the future holds for those around you.

Because of this, my friends, I have a challenge for you. Tomorrow morning, when you wake up to the sunlight streaming through the windows and the birds singing in the trees, live as if it were the last day of your life. Live unapologetically, and kindly. Treat everyone that you meet lovingly and with kindness, as though it is the last time you will ever see them. Apologize to those you may have wronged, and smile, knowing that you are alive. You can change your life. You have the ability, in the words of Maya Angelou, to "be a rainbow in someone else's cloud." 

Unlike most things in this world, kindness is free.

It will take you about two seconds to compliment your friend's blouse, and less than four to invite someone to join you in the cafeteria. You, my friend, have the power to brighten the lives of everyone around you. All it takes is an optimist mindset, gratitude, and a smile; that smile won't always be a piece of cake, but it will always be worth it.

Most importantly, dear reader, remember to be kind to yourself. Sometimes, I'll find myself saying things to myself that I would never dream of saying to my best friend. We are our own worst critics, and often forget to step back, take a deep breath, and love ourselves for everything that we are. It's no picnic to look in the mirror and concentrate on the personality within your physical being. There's no easy road to accepting yourself without fail. But it is so crucial. So crucial. You are such a spectacular thing, a living, breathing masterpiece. After all, according to Dr. Ali Binazir of "Are You a Miracle? On the Probability of Your Being Born", "scientists estimate the probability of your being born at about one in 400 trillion." There is no one out there like you - as I said before, you are a master piece. You are your own beautiful work of art, complete with flaws and problems and room to grow. Be kind to yourself. You are worth it. 

"Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world" - Lucille Ball

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted" - Aesop

Be kind, everyone. Let's make kindness the new cool.

- Maya

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash, Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash,
Photo by Nina Strehl on Unsplash, Photo by Matt Collamer on Unsplash,
Photo by Alicia Jones on Unsplash, Photo by Allen Taylor on Unsplash,
Photo by Mantas Hesthaven on Unsplash