The Rebellion of Kindness and Gentleness

In our day and age, living a kind and gentle life is nothing less than an act of rebellion. Get in your car and drive anywhere at all, and this becomes immediately obvious. The holidays come with beautiful words about peace on earth and goodwill toward all, but our streets and stores are full of winner-take-all behavior and main character syndrome. The hard truth is that living a kind and gentle life comes with a cost. The cost is found in giving up attachments and expectations that our culture teaches us are positive traits. These traits are so deeply ingrained in our societal contracts that it becomes hard to see them for what they are. Among many others, self-sufficiency, individuality, tribalism (us versus them mentality), and single mindedness are thieves of kindness and gentleness. They require a lot of effort to deconstruct and reprogram, but I believe joy and peace begin to creep in as we do so. Start small. As you’re on the road in the coming days, give yourself an opportunity to breathe and slow down. Notice all the frenetic energy around you and realize it’s possible to disconnect from it and not get caught up in the swell. You’ll get where you’re going eventually. Let people in. Smile at people who honk at you and flip you off. Enjoy the time with your passengers. Your reduced stress and increased kindness will have ripple effects on people and situations around you. Do the hard thing. Swim against the flow. Embrace kindness and gentleness, and you’ll find true strength that sustains from the inside.