Kindness is Magic

Everyday, it seems like we hear more and more about people who will kill or harm others in the name of their religions. It's a constant sickness in the world. People feel their god is calling them to do violence to others. As much as people will call out the violence, there are always others who will try and justify it. Often, they use the same logic as abusive spouses . . . I was provoked. The sad thing is, often people who aren't part of that (or any) religion see this violence as the loudest comment made by the religion. I think we can all agree, that isn't going to win people to your side.

These aren't the only voices though. There are plenty of people who find their convictions leading them toward activities that are positive and beautiful. My roommate posted this article about a woman in Arkansas who tended to people dying of AIDS during the 80s and 90s.  Where a lot of religious people lashed out and ostracized people with AIDS (and still do), this woman feels she was lead by her faith to befriend them. She would stay by their sides, help them get meds, talk to them, take them to appointments, and sometimes, if no one else was there to help, she would bury them and give them a funeral.

It's easy to hate people. It's not easy ON us, but it's an easy pattern to fall into. It's easy to lash out, to judge, and to shun those who don't live up to your standards. Loving people is harder. Helping people, especially when it takes you out of your comfort zone and away from what you would rather be doing, is harder. However, love is of immeasurable value. Kindness is the greatest and most potent thing we can do.

I'm in awe of this woman. I don't really follow a religion that has saints, but if I did, I would see her as one. There were people in this world who had no one, and she gave them a friend. She gave them someone who loved them without condition. She reminded them of their own value. Even if she couldn't stop them from dying, she helped to give meaning to their last years of life.

Whenever we are presented with choices of how we can affect the lives of others, I don't believe that most of us act violently. Most of us just really don't have that drive. However, most of us WILL act in indifference. We'll move on, assume that whatever this person is going through isn't our problem. Or, even if it could be our problem, it might inconvenience us in some way, so why bother?

This is really sad, because if we would just take that step forward and actually do something KIND for someone else, who knows what could come from it? If we, as a species, have any kind of magic at all, it is our ability to be kind. Our violence is predictable. Our indifference is predicable. Our kindness, however, could change the world. It could change lives. It could change someone's reality.