Hump Day already!  Where is the week going?  I spent part of the morning working in my vegetable garden.  This afternoon, despite the meanie who teaches, I'm thinking of trying Beginning Line Dancing.  It's not that she's mean to just me; she's mean to everyone.  Equal opportunity meanness. 

Which brings me to today's subject.  Kindness.  It's just not that hard to be kind! 

Being kind does not mean being a doormat.  You can stand up for yourself without being nasty about it.  Everyone deserves kindness, and in fact, if everyone experienced kindness, perhaps the world could be a very different place.  Not only people deserve our kindness, but animals too!  The very earth needs our kindness.  We are rapidly destroying our own habitat through our greed, which is the opposite of kindness.  Generosity is a subset of kindness, and it includes generosity of spirit, a charity of spirit. 

Children who grow up in families that lack kindness often grow up unable to show kindness to others.  Love and kindness go hand-in-hand.  If you are cruel to a child, there is no way you actually love that child.  Setting limits is appropriate in parenting; cruelty is not. 

If you are cruel to an animal, there is no way you love that animal.  You can teach your dog how to behave without using cruelty. 

I'm not a "Bible thumper," but that Paul fellow said something right when he said, "Love is patient.  Love is kind."  Both of those statements are true.  Be kind to others; respond to unkindness or accidentally uttered hurtful words with kindness.   Stomping off in a huff or getting nasty solves nothing.  Using foul language when addressing another person or in the midst of "giving them what for" only makes you look foolish and ignorant. 

Road rage, even if you stay in your car and just cut loose with the windows up isn't good for you or for your passengers.  Most of the time, the other driver was NOT out to offend you.  We all make errors.  What will you lose by being forgiving?  Roll with the punches.  Why get ruffled? 

Remember, it's just not that hard to be kind.