Kindness counts, so why is it so rarely practiced?
Steve Trubilla
Events touch people different ways. The news is filled with tragedy; most of it is distant from our lives.
Evil people use sarin gas to kill women, men, and children, in a far off place called Syria.
How did learning of this affect you? Even babies were murdered by this odorless, colorless, weaponized nerve gas agent.
It has all faded from the headlines now, overtaken by other horrible events. Has it also faded from your memory?
For more than 50 years, war, called an armed conflict, has raged in Colombia. The Revolutionary Armed Forced of Colombia (FARC), and Colombian Government battle for power and control of the country. I would make a wager most people in America are oblivious to this.
Tens of thousands of people have vanished, just disappeared. More than a staggering 7.6 million have registered as victims. This over-50-year war has had a direct impact on our national security, costing the American taxpayer billions. This would make a great feature story.
Then there is the horror of over 200 Nigerian Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped in 2014 by Islamic Boko Haram. What became of them? Did you know more than 2,000 young girls have been kidnapped, raped or murdered? The media, and thus the world, takes little notice of it.
I have enough of my own problems, was a response I heard while engaged, talking about these, and other violent horrific events. Simply not my problem; I could care less was the person's sincere position. A callous response, yes, but it truly was an honest one.
The truth is, for the most part, others simply do not care about the suffering of others.
To find this lack of empathy, compassion, or even humanity, you do not have to look to world events in places like Syria, Columbia, or Nigeria. You can look just past the front door on your home.
Many can look even closer in their own lives.
Maybe you have children in school that are bullied every day. It is being done openly, teachers know it, the bus driver knows it, and even the police have been notified. Those that can stop it pay lip service. It continues because they really do not care.
An elderly man dies. His wife of 50 years is now left alone. She is seen sitting on her porch, or walking by herself. Everyone sees, but no one notices.
When cancer comes to your family, then you will see how close the, "It's simply not my problem" is to you. Many now reading this that have had cancer's visit, can tell you of "friends" they never again see.
How powerful those sincerely spoken words of, "It's simply not my problem," have penetrated my thinking. They are synonymous with the words, "I do not care about how others feel."
It is one thing to hear these words, and another to see people act on them, narcissist not capable of seeing or feeling anything outside themselves. It is a personality disorder that has become the norm.
Honesty is among the traits I value, but not above kindness. What is the purpose of telling another their problems do not matter, and you do not care about how they feel?
So many are busy in their lives, collecting material things, promotions, college degrees, plaques to hang on the wall, or building fortunes. Much of this is done to impress people that could really care less.
It is but a scene in life. The next is realizing none of it really means anything.
What really counts is kindness. Think about this, is it not the kindness of others you most remember and treasure?
Be remembered, be kind to someone today that may most need it, and least expect it.
This article appeared in the Franklin Times newspaper on May 4, 2017. The Franklin Times is published in Louisburg NC.
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