Kindness

Some thoughts that have already been said by wiser people. I just felt like putting it out there.

The Etymology Dictionary explains the following in regards to the formation and use of the word in our culture:

The word "kindness" originates from the Middle English term "kyndnes," which referred to "nation “ is derived from the Old English word "(ge)cynde," meaning "natural, native, innate. " "Kindness" evolved into its modern meanings in the late 1300s. Originally, "kind" signified "with the feeling of relatives for each other “-ness" was appended to "kind" to create "kindnes “

Earlier today, I was provoked to consider writing about kindness and how it seems to be a bit less apparent in the world at this moment, compared to any of my prior 72 years.

The quick definition is: kindness | ˈkīn(d)nəs | noun the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. Kindness refers to the quality of being benevolent, compassionate, and empathetic towards others. It involves acts of generosity, consideration, and helpfulness, both in word and deed.

The etymology seems to connote that underneath our current definition of living, breathing empathy, there was a shared consciousness of unity, even a sense of kinfolk although not blood shared.

In America we have descended into a series of splintered differentials that now tend to blame anyone but themselves for negative outcomes. Shared is a space that seems far from the human fold.

This leads to people now seeming to formulate another person’s value based on a checkpoint list.

I am not going to list the checkpoints as this is not meant to be a political screed. Anyway, we all know what the checkpoints are, regardless of which side of the American Bifurcation we sit.

That lack of kindness matters little to the split anyway - Kindness is on short supply regardless of your political color and it’s lack is within and without each of the two sides.

When it actually involves stepping over the line, it becomes a living non sequitur.

We have become more selfish, less giving and I think that spins right back up to denigrating our own internal conversations with self.

So, just a thought:

If kindness was the preemptive source point for all our interactions with each other…