If you ask me, being kind is a multifaceted practice and its delicate nuances are essential to understanding how to be genuinely kind to those around you.
For one thing, being nice is not the same thing as being kind.
Being nice is taking the easy way out,
not pointing out the painful or uncomfortable or obvious,
while the kind thing points at the red hot elephant in the room
with a glaring finger, calmly asking you
to get your life together for your own sake
because you deserve better than this.
Being kind also means taking the higher ground;
just because someone cannot
look you in the eyes with the same
humanity you extend to them doesn’t mean
you have to disrespect them just the same.
Lastly, kindness is an act that extends
beyond whom you can physically see and impact
within your reach and touch.
To be kind is to not reap the effects yourself,
but to know you’re making a greater impact
than you can see for yourself.
To know you’re contributing to a bigger picture
that you may not get credit for,
but isn’t it beautiful that you get to help your
fellow humans make the world
more kind and loving than it is?
If you ask me, these are a few of the many ebbs,
flows, and nuances that make up the culture
of kindness.