"Kindness" and "generosity" are words with weight and meaning, but that have been watered down by the media and general over-use. They are simplified for children's cartoons so that we get thin examples of what "an act of kindness" or "an act of generosity" is, and those simple, tinny examples become the definition.
"Kindness" and "generosity" are heavy and meaty and valuable, its more than just doing one thing once to one person: it's how you treat everyone, how you think of them. It's a way of thinking - and it's a way of thinking that we don't teach anymore.
"Kindness" is smiling even after someone has said something awful to you, because you know how hard their life is and how that has jaded them. "Generosity" -- charity -- is forgiving them and still being friends, knowing that they'll grow past it one day and that having some gentility might help them become the person you know they are inside.
"Kindness" is not judging people who like (healthy) things that you don't like - ships, shows, halloween 3 months early. "Kindness" is how I can select good and flavorful tomatoes for my family, because I know how much they love them, even though I hate tomatoes and will never enjoy eating them. "Generosity" is knowing how much someone loves a thing that you don't, and being willing to listen when they talk about it: not saying you don't like it, but giving enough of yourself to at least let them enjoy sharing it for a while. "Generosity" is the time I spent to learn how to pick tomatoes that would make my family happy.
Because even if I don't like the thing, I can enjoy other people liking that thing.
"Kindness" is being aware of others' personality traits, good and bad, and accepting them without making them feel ingratiated to you. "Generosity" is accepting a person for who they are - for the parts you like, and then looking past the parts that frustrate you.
Kindness and generosity are love. Agape. Selfless love. They are small things you do for the people around you - the way you approach everyone you meet. They are a way of thinking about the world as not centered on your own needs. Its something that should be reciprocated, but isn't always; but that's no less reason to do it. Not everyone will be kind and generous. That's even more reason to be so.
When I say "be kind" this is what I mean. When I say be "generous" this is it. This is what it means to love thy neighbor, this is what "care" truly is. It's little things you give to everyone, its loving the smile on other people's faces better than your own.
Please act with selfless love.
gummygunk
blakekathryn
theartofmadeline
janainaart
