26/05/2024
It doesn’t take much to hold a door open for someone who is coming behind, rather than letting it shut in their face.
It doesn’t take much to wait for those in public transport to get out before you get in.
It doesn’t take much to give way when you’re driving, to keep a reasonable distance from the car in front, to indicate so other cars know where you’re going.
It doesn’t take much to smile at a stranger.
It takes a little more, but not much more, to listen to a stranger’s story
It takes a little more, but not much more, to look for ways of doing acts of kindness
It takes a little more, but not much more, to choose patience instead of frustration with those you love
It takes a little more, but not much more, to choose the loving path over the selfish path.
It can take a lot to forgive those who hurt you
It can take a lot to let go of those you love who leave you
It can take a lot to choose love instead of revenge
It can take a lot to continue to give when you’re feeling empty
The cost of choosing to love, of choosing to show kindness to and consideration for others can vary from not much to a lot, but the cost of not choosing love, compassion and kindness is massive. The selfish entitlement that we see in so many of the local and distant tragedies in the world is costing more than we can quantify. Wars, people dispossessed of their homes, famine, global warming, preventable accidents, violence, murder.
Violence to and murder of women, of black people, of people who are LGBTQIA, of children.
Power, selfishness and entitlement. Just who are we to ‘deserve’ anything at all? And yet every single person deserves to be shown compassion and kindness, to be free to be who they are, to live in dignity. We are all humans, after all. There is far more that unites us than divides us….or there should be.
Your worth is inherent but it does not entitle you to use your power or position for your own gain. It does not entitle you to demand anything of anyone else. You can choose to do that but it does not mean it’s your right. And think about this. Think about just how much damage has been done as a result of entitled thinking and acting and think again. There is a better way.
