Word for the Day: Friday, July 24, 2015

The Word for Today (Friday) is Kindness. "Cultivate Kindness"? This is so simple, it's obvious: Be Kind. There is a "neutral level of kindness", that I've found to be the best balance. See, if too kind, you call attention to yourself, and the person suddenly gets caught up in their own issues, such as if they "deserve" your kindness. The opposite (i.e. a person "acting like a jerk"), also shows up. But there's this middle level, such as, if I'm close to the person in back of me, holding the door for him/her, and they just say a neutral, "thank you", pass through, and you may never meet again. But if you "go out of your way" to stand there, for an extended period, it might stand out, especially if, for example, you are holding a door open for a woman, who already has a man with her. The word "etiquette" comes to mind.

Bottom line: I prefer acts of kindness that do not stand out.