Kindness Changes the World

t’s taken me most of my life to allow myself to be as kind as I want to be. That isn’t a humble brag, it does not mean I am always loving, kind, and compassionate. Not at all. I have my deeply crabby moments like anyone.
But I used to be embarrassed of my sensitive heart, and self conscious about my thin skin. I live in the Northeast, not far from Boston. The mentality around me has always been more Damn Yankee than anything else. So I spent a lot of time trying to check my natural impulse. I am so glad I have slowly stopped trying.
This article reminds me that I am built in a good strong way, and that kindness is a really great position from which to proceed in life. Culturally, kindness remains suspect - it’s why my job as a Grief Counselor even exists in large part. For now, I guess that is okay. But I hope we don’t need Grief Counselors for ever and ever, and I will always be working to change that in the world.

www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/opinion/mister-fred-rogers-wont-you-be-my-neighbor.html
(Originally posted- 7/26/18)