I find one of the most underrated qualities in a person is kindness. At first glance it seems wishy washy and almost a put down to call someone ‘kind’ but the more I understand my fellow human, the more I feel we all want to be kind, even if it’s not always possible at any given moment.
When we moved to this new house, some people told us to watch out this or that person: they’re takers; they’re difficult; they’re mean, etc. Ignoring those well-meaning words of advice, I treated everyone I met with respect and kindness instead of prejudging them.
As it turns out, they were more givers than takers; straightforward than difficult; and kind rather than mean. I guess people are what you choose to see them as.
I’ve talked about Rutger Bregman’s bestselling book Human Kind before on my musings, and on reading it again, there is so much that has been misread or miswritten about humanity’s natural instincts. Far from being the self-centred people Freud or many other learned scholars would have us believe, we are, at heart, a kind and gentle race. We’ve maybe forgotten that due in part to ‘ownership’ and instead, believe what our news and politicians would have us believe: we’re selfish and cold-hearted and need to be policed.
I believe, what you give is what you get, so if you’re unsure about your fellow man, try changing the game and being kind instead of suspicious. And if you need inspiration: I heartily recommend Rutger’s book. It will give you a new and encouraging perspective of your fellow human-kind.