The Power Of Kindness Is The Real Power!

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Kindness is not a luxury in our present day world but rather a necessity for us all. It is a simple and yet profound concept. Kindness brings us down to earth. It enables us to thrive and slowly and steadily turn our world away from selfishness and self-centredness towards compassion and love towards others.

By Balwant Sanghera

The holiday season is usually a time of giving and goodwill. Wherever you go during this time of the year, you will find a sense of jubilation, love, affection and warmth.  In other words, there is more of a sense of kindness towards each other. When you look at kindness itself, it is a very powerful concept. It brings out the best in a person.

It was reported in the media recently that an American TV show host, Ellen DeGeneres, occasionally sends out her staff to identify people showing kindness towards their fellow human beings. Those people are rewarded with gifts and an opportunity to appear on her show. DeGeneres ends each of her shows with the message: Be kind to one another.

Prominent American psychologist Henry James also emphasized the concept of kindness. He stated that there are three most important things in life: 1. Be Kind 2. Be Kind 3.Be Kind. There are numerous examples of people showing kindness to one another and the boost in their self- concept as a result of that. Helping someone in need without expecting anything in return can be a source of immense joy both for the helper and the recipient of such a gesture. Even small gestures, acts of kindness can give a person a feeling of pride, joy and satisfaction. Sometime, we fail to enjoy the simple pleasures of life and be thankful. A leisurely stroll ,  looking at the mountains/ blue sky, having a laugh with a friend/acquaintance etc. or giving someone a helping hand don’t cost us anything but they give us immense pleasure. Same goes for showing kindness to someone.

Being kind and compassionate to one another is one of the most effective ways to achieve happiness for self and others. This concept has been reinforced by a number of prominent people. Dalai Lama, in one of his writings/speeches, emphasized that if you want others to be happy, practice compassion, if you want to be happy, practice compassion. Winston Churchill also reinforced the same concept. He stated that we make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give. Similarly, renowned painter Pablo Picasso reinforced this concept by stating something along these lines: The meaning of our life should be to find the gift within us and the purpose of our life should be to give it away to others.

Unconditional love, compassion and kindness to others have countless benefits. They may help build new relationships, give feelings of security, good health, sense of empowerment, pride, accomplishment, happiness and peace of mind. Kindness to one another definitely makes us feel good about ourselves and those around us. As a matter of fact, some experts on this subject stress that no matter what you do, be kind to others. This should be the fundamental principle or base of your actions. We can rightly be proud of the fact that a large number of people in our community are a great model of this noble concept. Our community has been leading the way in helping the needy not only in this country but also abroad. Guru Nanak’s Free Kitchen, collecting and donating clothes, toys; blankets etc. for the needy and homeless have become the hallmark of our community. Not only that, our community has always been in the front row in helping the victims of natural disasters abroad in places like Haiti, Philippines, Thailand, and elsewhere around the globe.

Kindness is not a luxury in our present day world but rather a necessity for us all. It is a simple and yet profound concept. Kindness brings us down to earth. It enables us to thrive and slowly and steadily turn our world away from selfishness and self-centredness towards compassion and love towards others.

My family and I would like to wish the staff and management of The Link and its readers happy holidays, Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Balwant Sanghera is a retired School Psychologist and Community Activist.