Tag: kindness

The Golden Rule: What is it these days?

“Treat others as you’d like to be treated,” is – or rather was – The Golden Rule.

This no longer rings true today. In a society where so many are hurt or offended by innocuous words or comments, we have no clue how someone else wants to be treated. And it is safe to say, that many don’t want to be treated as we do.

My father calls most females ‘honey’ and most males ‘buddy.’ It is not intended as an insult, and I’ve not heard one male claim to be offended by his use of ‘buddy.’ Luckily, for him, he has not received backlash for referring to females as ‘honey.’ I hate to be that person constantly warning him that one day, he may encounter a problem. Maybe I’m bias, but I can’t imagine anyone getting mad at him for using either ‘honey’ or ‘buddy.’ He’s just lovable like that and he uses both as terms of endearment, spoken with such exuberance and warmth.

Yet we live in a society of he and she, him and her, they and them. We live among those who refer to themselves as a ‘furry,’ the people identifying as cats, or dogs, wolves or horses, and who knows what else.

Some women berate men for holding the door for them or giving them a compliment. Some men are insulted if a woman pays the bill, while other men expect it. Some wives expect mutual effort around the house while other wives want the men to do men things, while they tend to women things – can anyone define those categories for me?

In my opinion, it truly depends on the people and what works for them. I have parents who posture for who will do the dishes or vacuum the rugs – a neutrally gendered household in many ways and simply two best friends who made decisions and fell into routines based on love, not a set of rules or assigned chores. The whole men are from Mars and women are from Venus thing has never resonated in my family – and certainly not with me. Probably why I’m single, but my dog loves me. 🙂

So today, what is The Golden Rule and how do we apply it in our day-to-day interactions?

Others may not want to be treated like you do, and you may not want to be treated like them.

For me, The Golden Rule is simple: Be kind. Be courteous. Be tolerant. Be respectful.

 

When did kindness go out of fashion?

While taking a late night Facebook scroll, I counted six posts within seconds that asked people to ‘please be kind when responding’ to questions that seemed quite sincere in requesting advice.

The people placed trust in an online community, hoping that someone else experienced what they are currently enduring and could offer some words of wisdom.

Repeatedly the plea was made for kindness, asking others to reply in a gentle and compassionate manner.

Continue reading “When did kindness go out of fashion?”

It’s National Grief Awareness Day.

On this day of awareness, may we all be reminded that grief does not stop. It is not given a time limit, nor does it pass. It is something many people live with each and every day – and each person carries it differently. No two paths are the same, even if they are similar or like in some ways.

Grief is not only related to death. It encompasses loss of all kinds – relationships, friendships, work, self.

Never underestimate or disregard the enormity of someone’s grief. Be compassionate, be tolerant. We can’t always see the cross another carries, but we can always practice kindness.

Your daily thought, point to ponder and soulful reflection.

Daily thought: We have no way of knowing what people are going through, so be kind.

Point to ponder: We hear that said all the time and see the memes and quotes on social channels. But do we really put that into action? Or are we only caught up in our own trials and tribulations, forgetting that other people have troubles, too?

Soulful reflection: It’s not always easy to be kind and it can take extra effort sometimes, especially when we are dealing with our own problems or managing our own emotions. We have moods, ups and downs and daily hassles as well as major life crises.

Truth is, it’s at those times when we should be cautious with our words and actions. When we are mindful and self-aware, we should not be looking to lash out at other people – though we do lose it at times, it happens and sometimes it’s both provoked, and maybe even deserved because some people are jerks, no sugarcoating that one – but rather disengage as much as possible from others on those given days. We can recognize the signs within ourselves, then steer clear of as many social interactions as we can. Be honest with family, friends and even co-workers. Let them know it’s a rough day and you may be a bit off kilter. In today’s world, most people will and do understand. Life isn’t stress free for anyone.

So many people I know are enduring hardships right now, from job related worries, financial troubles and relationship strains to the most important of all, illness and/or loss of a loved one.

No matter what we are going through, may we always make an effort to remember that others could be going through the same – or worse. We all have bad days and sometimes, bad periods of time that last for awhile. Yet if we remind ourselves that others are, too, we may just get through the day without causing more damage.  We’re not saints, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.

Love your neighbor today. You might just feel better yourself because you did.