I am reading the book “Wonder” to my son. In the chapter where Mr. Tushman the middle school’s principal gives his commencement addresses, he talks about kindness. Below is an excerpt from the chapter.
Mr. Tushman’s Speech
The best way to measure how much you’ve grown isn’t by inches or the number of laps you can now run around the track, or even your grade point average-though those things are important, to be sure. It’s what you’ve done with your time, how you’ve chosen to spend your days, and whom you have touched this year. That, to me is the greatest measure of success.
“Shall we make a new rule of life… always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary. “
J.M. Barrie in ‘The Little White Bird’
How do you measure kindness?
As human beings, we carry with us not just the capacity to be kind, but the very choice of kindness. And what does that mean? How is that measured? You can’t use a yardstick. It’s not exactly quantifiable, is it? How do we know we’ve been kind? What is being kind, anyway?
In the book ‘Under the Eye of the Clock’ by Christopher Nolan, the main character is a young man, whose name is Joseph, who is facing some extraordinary challenges. There’s this one part where someone helps him: a kid in his class. On the surface, it’s a small gesture. But to Joseph, it was at moments such as these that Joseph recognized the face of God in human form. It glimmered in their kindness to him, it glowed in their keenness, it hinted in their caring, indeed it caressed in their gaze.
Simple Thing, Kindness
Such a simple thing, kindness. Such a simple thing. A nice word of encouragement given when needed. An act of friendship. A passing Smile.
Err on the Side of Kindness
Next time when you are in doubt, err on the side of kindness and remember the value of that simple thing called kindness. Wherever you are, whenever you can, try to act a little kinder than is necessary – the world really would be a better place. And if you do this, if you act just a little kinder than is necessary, someone else, somewhere, someday, may recognize in you, in every single one of you, the face of God.
More on Kindness
When you speak, err on the side of kindness.
“Kindness is more than just helping the ninety-year-old gentleman who couldn’t get across the road before the traffic lights changed, it’s living with the embedded mindset that we must be kind, that we must, if in doubt, just err on the side of it.”