Killing Them With Kindness

Some of my best friends are my colleagues.  I teach Kindergarten on a team with five other teachers and one aide. Everyday, we eat lunch together and it is often the highlight of my day.  The seven of us truly enjoy our time together.  Most of our lunchtime is spent laughing.  Today, I told them that I had started a kindness blog.

Before today, I had not said much about it at school.  I guess because I am still learning how to blog, not sure what to write, and just not as confident yet as I’d hoped that I would be as a writer.  It all started when one of them complimented another on her dress.  She has been rather complimentary lately and one of the other teachers called her out on it, (not that this is a bad thing – just that we noticed).  She joked that she only gives out compliments if she really means it.  Otherwise she keeps her mouth shut.  That seemed the perfect introduction so, I told them.

The seven of us come from different religious backgrounds, some of us more spiritual than others.  We range in age from early twenties, to early fifties.  Six of us are women.  We have one male teacher on our team.    I told them how the basic idea of the blog is to spread kindness because even the smallest compliment could have a positive affect on someone.

We talked about how frustrating it is when someone does something kind, and gets nothing in return.  Not that we should give to get, but “thank you” just doesn’t come so easily for some people.  We talked about “killing them with kindness”, and being extra kind, especially to those who don’t return it.  One of the teachers is from the South and really believes in Southern hospitality.   She does not see the same reactions from people here in the north as she saw in Georgia.

I think what struck me the most from the conversation was that even though the seven of us are really quite different; race, sex and age, all of us agreed that what people really need is it to just be more compassionate..  I don’t know why is it so easy for some people to be mean or insensitive.  What good does it ever do?  Is it because people get away with it, or is it because they don’t know any other way?  Perhaps people need to work on the art of being kind.   Personally, I find it easier to be nice.  It doesn’t have to be huge to be meaningful.  A smile or a kind gesture is often enough.