“Here, at whatever hour you come, you will find light, help, and human kindness.”
Albert Schweitzer

The above quote is reported to have been on a sign above Dr. Schweitzer’s medical clinic. What a simple, welcoming phrase that speaks volumes in its intent.

Think about that phrase for a moment and imagine what it would be like if you saw that sign above any place of business, at the entrance to any office, at the entryway of any home, in the vestibule of any church that you happened to visit.

Suppose that phrase was on the welcome sign of your community. Suppose it was over the door of your local school.

Suppose this was included in the mission statement of your company, the philosophy of your customer service department, the expectation of how employees were to interact with one another.

The phrase speaks of light and we might envision a physical light that is always burning. There is another light of course that burns within each of us. Dr. Schweitzer referred to that internal light as being fueled with our values and beliefs. One of my very best friends,William, who has been a guest writer here in the past, refers to his internal light as his passion. Writer Ayn Rand is quoted as saying, “Do not let your fire go out.” I speak of personal dignity and self respect extended in dignity and respect to others as being a “beacon of light.”

Often places of business and other public locations offer signs that offer bilingual or multilingual services. People who are bilingual frequently dream in both languages. They have been internalized and come easily.

There is a universal language that can be spoken by everyone. That language is kindness. Suppose in addition to the bilingual or multilingual announcement, there was also a sign that read, “Kindness Spoken Here.” For some kindness is a native language. For others it is a second language. Regardless, any of us can become fluent in this language at any age.

The dictionary defines kindness as the state or quality of being kind. In other words, kindness is not only an action, it is a state of being. The following are some definitions or qualities of that state of being.

A deep seated characteristic shown habitually by considerate behavior
Of a good or benevolent nature or disposition.
Having, showing, or proceeding from benevolence.
Indulgent, considerate, or helpful
Mild
Gentle
Humane
Compassionate
Gracious
A sympathetic attitude toward others

Kindness can be internalized and come easily when, with practice, it becomes part of our state of being.

Kindness is something that we must own and extend to ourselves, before we are able to extend it to others. When we do this, we do not determine whether someone deserves our kindness anymore than we determine whether someone deserves to be spoken to in their own language. It is simply something we do because it has become our nature to be kind.

Like so many other qualities of being, it takes insight, awareness, paying attention, and not taking things personally. Focusing outward with our values, rather than being caught up in the tempest of situations, keeping our personal power intact.

In this New Year on this another day we have, do something kind. It Is Tuesday and I would like you to play along with me. It is Two for Tuesday so who are two people you have been kind to or who is two people that has been kind to you in the last 24 hours and these actions resulted in smiles…tell me now and yes that is an order and don’t just tell me go tell them Thank you. I’ll go first….
A blogging friend and I chatted on the phone which brought a smile to my face……Did I give, I hope so , I know I smiled several times before I hung up the phone.
I received a Christmas card which had been sent to my old address and I just got yesterday from my best friend back in Kansas who I have not seen in 18 years but we are still just as close as the day my husband and I moved away from Kansas.—-she gave me that special smile and feeling. I hope somewhere someone is having all the special thoughts I am having of my friends and the love they show and it starts because they are KIND….

Spread a little KINDNESS around TODAY. Life Is Simply Good.