Kindness: Civilizational Power

As 2025 comes to a close, my reflections turn to questions about who I will choose to be in these times. There is so much cruelty and suffering in the world, and often I find my heart breaking. My desire is to be present to these times in such a way that I can embrace the heat-break and ease the suffering.

In my meditations, the word that keeps rising to the surface is “kindness.” It is a simple word; one that could be viewed as too weak and feeble for times such as these. We might prefer to talk about love; it has a more cosmic meaning and might feel more appropriate to these times.

But the cosmic proportions of love can also make it less tangible and harder to put into play. Kindness, on the other hand, is easier to attain. It is a simple choice that we can make moment by moment. In any situation, we can ask: “How can I offer kindness here?”

In her book, Sacred Nature, Karen Armstrong invites us to consider how often we fail to offer kindness. It has proven to be a very powerful practice for me. So many of our interactions are transactional. This practice, however, invites me to pause and see the person in front of me – whether that be face to face, on a video screen, or through an email… Having paused and acknowledged the humanity of the other person, I then inquire: “What can I do to connect with this person? What is this person dealing with right now? How can I offer tenderness?” These questions invite simple, gentle gestures that connect me with the soul of the other person.

I don’t always know how these actions touch others. I do know that this practice touches me deeply. I find myself more present, more open, and more hopeful about the turmoil of our world that I often find so troubling.

In a recent post, Krista Tippett reminds us of a quote that has been around for centuries and attributed to different people (Philo, Plato, Rev. John Watson): “Be kind, for everyone is fighting a great battle.”

Tippett attributes “civilizational power” to this statement saying: it can become “a way to anchor and stand more gracefully before the reality of our time.”

“Civilizational power.” So important for us today. And as simple as a kind word or gesture.

May 2006 be filled with many simple offerings of kindness.

Namaste.