Kindness is the path to Happiness. This is a simple statement with a profound truth that seems to have escaped all human history and philosophy.
Galatians 5:22-23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, FORBEARANCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, and SELF-CONTROL.”
This lumps KINDNESS in with a lot of other good stuff, but only KINDNESS is a foundation to the rest and deserves to be separate.
LOVE often leads to frustration, jealousy and hate; JOY is often taken at another’s expense; PEACE is as much dependent on the behavior of the people; PATIENCE, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS and SELF-CONTROL, are all fruits and dependent upon your HAPPINESS and KINDNESS.
Everyone seeks to be happy, but in their pursuit of happiness, so many run after things that are shallow and meaningless as far as happiness is concerned.
MONEY, POWER, FAME, INFLUENCE, SUCCESS, FUN . . . . will not bring happiness, and the frustration you will get at the failure of your achievements to give you the happiness that you seek will lead to your MISERY.
Only KINDNESS will feed HAPPINESS.
Many are of the opinion that KINDNESS is weakness, and leaves one vulnerable. It is true that your KINDNESS might interfere with your attainment of money, power, fame, influence . . . but it will never interfere with your attainment of HAPPINESS, and what, pray tell, is the point of all the rest if it not make you happy? Your happiness is all that matters and anything that interferes must be forgotten in your pursuit of HAPPINESS!
The kinder you are, the better you feel about yourself, and so the better your happiness. The happier you are, the easier your kindness, goodness, patience , LOVE.
The battered woman will not stand against her husband’s behavior in any way, because she loves him, and LOVE endures all things. The woman cannot modify her husband’s behavior by begging for love or mercy or patience. Only be begging for and demanding kindness and by kindly teaching him that kindness nurtures happiness can the dispute come to a peaceful resolution.
JESUS’ command that we love one another, fall short, because, love is mostly feeling. It is impossible to control demand or command one’s own feelings let alone on other’s. “LOVE ONE ANOTHER” is either a fumble by the recorder of the New Testament, or a fumble by JESUS HIMSELF. As it is, it cannot be the wisdom of the great consciousness that we call GOD. Our Creator would not make demand on us that we could never by decision obey.
COMPASSION encompasses pity, and almost always, pity is demeaning to the pitied. KINDNESS, unlike compassion is helpful without an air of superiority.
SOME POINTS ON HOW TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD
• Exercise your kindness, and teach kindness by telling others of how your behavior left you feeling.
• Demand kind behavior from others. Say, “Be kind”, or “That was unkind.” Do not allow mean words or behavior go unchallenged.
• Forgive and Forget the Past. Seeking redress, retribution or punishment will always distract you from your Happiness. Mistakes are for education. Learn and move on.
7 INSPIRING QUOTES THAT WILL BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY.
Every now and again, you need a little pick me up. Here are 7 inspiring quotes that will do just that.
1. AIM HIGH – Reach as high as you can, and then reach a little higher. There you will find magic and possibility. And maybe cookies.
2. FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY. “Maybe there’s something you’re afraid to say, or someone you’re afraid to love, or somewhere you’re afraid to go. It’s gonna hurt. It’s gonna hurt because it matters.”
3. YOU ALWAYS KNOW. At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.
4. A BROKEN HEART WILL ALWAYS HEAL. You have to keep breaking your heart until it opens.
5. YOU ARE EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE MEANT TO BE.
6. THE ONLY THING YOU CAN CONTROL ARE YOUR THOUGHTS. The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it.
7. THE ONLY TRUTH IS TO DISCOVER YOUR INNER ESSENCE (Who you really are). “You must learn to get in touch with the innermost essence of your being. This true essence is beyond ego. It is fearless; it is free; it is immune to criticism; it does not fear any challenge. It is beneath no one, superior to no one, and full of magic, mystery, and enchantment.”
