Many of us have been taught that it is “kind” to be either dishonest or superficial to others, to avoid “hurting their feelings” by telling white lies, by being tactful, by being polite etc … Of course, nothing could be further from the Truth.  Not only are such acts completely transparent – leading to far more pain than flagrant honesty would have caused in the first place, they also tend to “carve out” the substance of our relationships; making them hollow and brittle over time, and inevitably leading to their dissolution.  When fear grounds our actions, intimacy is always the first victim.  And without courageous intimacy, relationships effectively die thereafter … As such, today  choose to replace all temptations to be polite and tactful with “radical Kindness” — When you listen to another, pay attention to them.  When you look at another, deeply See them.  When you speak with another, be consciously Kind to them.  If you Care about someone, courageously let them know exactly how you feel (i.e. Be supportive!).  If you happen to feel annoyed by another, have the courage to keep your mouth shut, as opposed to being merely polite or nice.

Bonus Activity:  Choose to sincerely like everyone you encounter today.

Filed under: Selfless Service Calendar by Scaughdt