Have you noticed how often peope are using the word kindness these days? It’s a word we humans have known and practised in varying ways for centuries, but I am betting that many of us haven’t stopped to seriously think about what it truly means and how we can incorporate it more into our daily lives. However, thanks to COVID, we are beginning to stop and take a closer look at what it means for us and how we can find the time to use it for the benefit of others. Because it’s a word that has come back into vogue, I have been tossing around in my mind how I might tackle the subject for my next post. The answer came when I discovered an article I bookmarked some time ago: “Thirty Inspiring Kindness Quotes That Will Enlighten You” – Anonymous.
Here are the ones that grabbed my attention:
“A little thought and a little kindness are worth more than a great deal of money.” John Ruskin
” Single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” Amelia Earhart
“Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.” Albert Schweitzer
“Kindness is like snow – it beautifies everything it covers.” Kahil Gibran
“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” Mark Twain
“I’ve been searching for ways to heal myself, and I’ve found that kindness is the best way.” Lady Gaga
Kindness is more important than wisdom and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.” Theodore Isaac Rubin
Not satisfied with reading about the thoughts and definitions of some of our modern day thinkers, I decided to delve into the history of the word kindness. My search began with the only dictionary I happen to have on hand: the Webster’s Dictionary – Basic English Words For Everyday Use. Would you believe that the actual word“kindness” wasn’t even in it! I have never liked Webster’s probably because I am not an American so have vowed to buy another Oxford dictionary which I lost somewhere along my life’s journey. I then decided to check out Google to see what they would come up with and found a modern day definition which defined kindness as ” friendly, generous and considerate actions to benefit others who do not expect anything in return.” This was followed by the Bible’s definition describing kindness as a selfless, compassionate, and merciful act for everyone. Both are good descriptions of what it is, but I wanted to find out more about the origin of the word so opted to find out what Wikopedia had to say.
They gave me two more definitions which really struck home for me:
“Kindness and love are the most curative herbs and agents in human intercourse” by Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher, and ” You should respond with kindness toward evil done to you, and you will destroy in an evil person that pleasure which he derives from evil” by Leo Tolstoy the great Russian novelist of “War and Peace” fame.
Another little tidbit I learned is that a thesaurus can suggest up to 95 definitions for kindness, such as tolerance, charity, sympathy, understanding, good will, and unselfishness to name just a few whereas there are only 20 antonyms for the opposite to kindness.
Before I leave these revelations on what constitutes kindness, I would like to add that acts of kindness not only will affect those you use it on or with, but also on you your ‘self’. Have you ever noticed that after doing something that helps another person often helps you to feel better? This is especially true if you do it spontaneously because you want to do it not because you feel you should out of guilt or pity as our religions often taught us. You can take this learning one step further, and honestly say that the more kindness you show to others, the more kind you will become to your ‘self’. Maybe you haven’t thought of it that way, but over time you will notice that you will become better in so many little ways: you will start to feel better about your self worth, you might notice that more feelings of joy will appear in your life, you could gain more energy and motivation to do the things you have been putting off, you could become more loving towards your self and others, and you may possibly gain more material things such as money or fame if that is what you want. No matter what you may be searching for and hoping to find, you will give yourself and others the best gift you ever could by practicing kindness. You will be bringing more light into our world which sorely needs some. Our ability to spread kindness all around is a good place to start. It just might save us. It definitely is all up to us, isn’t it?
Some pictures from my previous posts which depicted for me the meaning of kindness.
Owner of one of my favourite coffee places in Chiang Mai.Another coffee shop owner in Chiang Mai…so sweet and kind.Protecting our forests in Nova ScotiaLocal farming feeding his baby lambs. Macaw monkeys grooming each other.Little Elizabeth, my new friend I met at Ayer’s Rock in Australia.Little children in Cambodia who wanted me to take their pictute.
I look forward to hearing from anyone who reads this to share what personal experience you have had when carrying out an act of kindness. Any comments from my readers are greatly appreciated and if you liked this post, then please tap on the like button below.
As soon as I saw this question on WordPress, I knew immediately what my answer was going to be. It’s not the many wars causing hoards of refugees, our changing climate, housing shortages, famines, civil unrest, and a myriad of other problems facing us today, but our ever evolving technology. Yup, sitting down at my computer or using my smart phone is too often the cause of my anxiety. Why? Well because of the constant changes which Microsoft and WordPress have thrust upon me for one. I know that the younger generation would laugh at this confession when their greatest cause for anxiety is probably the present state of our world and the future that lies before them. My grandson laughs at me when I seek his help with some of the problems that appear on my phone when for him it’s obvious and fun. Why don’t I know how to use it and why do I get so frustrated, he wonders? I have had to explain to him that when I was his age at fourteen, we had dial up phones with no apps that would take us to games and just about every place around the world. We also had to share our phones with other people. Our parents made darn sure that we didn’t eavesdrop and if we had to make a call to our friends, we had to make it short or else!
First impressions can make or break a person’s thoughts, words, and actions not only your own but that of others. As soon as I disembarked from my Thai Smile flight into Cambodia’s International airport, I was impressed with the efficiency displayed by the staff in charge of handling my visa upon arrival, the ease of locating my baggage, and the layout of the airport right down to its signs prominently displayed in English. Within what seemed like minutes, I was ushered through what can often be a daunting procedure. As I stepped outside the main entrance to look for my friend who was planning to meet me, I was approached by some of the taxi drivers who wanted to take me to my destination. Instead of being pestered as in previous visits, they kindly backed off with a pleasant smile when I told them I was expecting a ride from a friend. Needless to say I was totally impressed and felt I was off to a very good start to what would be my fifth visit to this country which many people avoid visiting because of its dark history. If you would like to learn more about this, you can go to the following link: Cambodia – Past and Present.
“Why do you keep going back Cambodia?” I have been asked this question many times from fellow travellers and friends. This is a good question for me to ponder. It gets me thinking about my reasons for putting it on my list five times since I began travelling to Thailand in 2008. Having a dear friend whom I met in Bangkok on my second or third visit to Thailand is one of the main reasons I have put Cambodia on my travel itinerary. Michelle has lived in Phnom Penh since the late ’90’s when Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge were defeated by the Republic or the people of Cambodia after five years of horror and near genocide.
Before I attempt to portray some of Cambodia’s long and complicated history, I must tell you that I wrote this post on one of my visits several years ago and only just discovered that I never published it. On this trip to Phnom Penh in February, 2023, Michelle introduced me to the newly constructed Sosoro Museum which attempts to explain Cambodia’s history by studying the country’s use of money or currency through the ages. While she worked on her editing for an online newspaper she works for, I with notebook in hand covered the whole history as presented in this museum in one day. Although I had done some reading before writing this post, my visit to Sosoro presented many of the historian’s and archeologist’s latest findings which in a sense is like a re-telling of their history.
For my thirteenth visit to Thailand, I was impressed by the number of Thai women I kept meeting who seemed to want to speak out about their personal lives. They are no longer content to simply follow the tradition of doing what is expected of them but to instead take responsibility for their own lives and do what is in their best interests. I am going to back track to my latest post entitled Chiang Mai – Post COVID where I met in the park next to where I was staying a lovely Thai woman who commented in almost perfect English that she ‘liked my toenails’. I actually could not believe she had said that because in the past Thai women have been reticent to talk to farangs (visitors from other countries) out of conditioning, shyness, or a bit of both. Managing to have a conversation to find out more about each other, I noticed she was smartly dressed prompting me to ask what kind of work she did. She replied that she was ‘just a housewife’ to which I answered that this was a job in itself. Pushing the envelope further, I dared to find out more about her life so asked what her husband did and if she had any children. She responded that her husband was a retired engineer and her son was eleven years old. Of course, she was bored because her husband just wanted to put his feet up after working so many years at a job that perhaps he never really liked but stuck with to be the provider that he was expected to be. While he just wanted to relax, she was ready to move on and do something with her life.
This is a familiar story in our western culture but not so much in the Eastern culture. There are probably many reasons for this but I can’t help wondering if it hasn’t got something to do with the success of Thailand’s main industry…tourism. Thailand has been a major attraction for tourists who want to experience the culture and sites that this part of Southeast Asia has to offer. The King of Siam’s hiring of Anna Leonowens, a British teacher, to educate his children way back in the 1880’s, precipitated a trend that contributed much to Thailand’s opening up to our western culture. The close relationship which developed between this adventurous woman and King Mongkut was immortalized in the 1956 hit musical The King and I with Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr. This part of Asia was gaining in popularity in both Europe and North America for its tropical climate and gorgeous beaches as a great place to escape from the cold of winter. Thailand quickly became a haven for the British tourists who discovered not only its beautiful beaches and warm weather, but a peaceful country with welcoming people who drove on the left side of the road just like they did back home. They loved it! They too had a ruling monarchy with a king who was loved by his people for the dedication he had for his role and country. As for King Mongkut, in return he took as much interest in the western world. Members of the Thai royal family and those who served them were encouraged to get their education abroad in the UK and the US.
There is something else we need to remember about the Thailand: it has never been ruled or dominated by another country. Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and many other parts of Asia have all been at some point in time under the protection of a foreign country. If you go back into its history, Thailand has been invaded numerous times but never defeated. Does this not show how tenacious the Thai people have been and still are? It’s no surprise to see how COVID has tested their tenacity but through it all they have come out of it still smiling with a genuine desire to please those of us who want to come back and enjoy their beautiful country. However, it’s especially noticeable with the Thai women working in the tourist industry which comprises a huge part of Thailand’s economy.
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