I’ve heard Wayne Dyer say that it is more important to be kind than it is to be right. I have often thought of these words and have done my best to live by them, finding a great deal of freedom in living according to this value. Kindness definitely has its own rewards. It brings people closer together, whereas attempting to prove to someone that you are right about something often pulls people apart.
When my children were young, I would often remind them that “two wrongs don’t make a right”. One day I even came up with the expression that “two rudes don’t make a polite.” It’s interesting how often people can feel justified in this type of behavior when someone else acts in this same manner. The problem with behaving in this way is that it perpetuates a downward spiral. It is only when one person chooses kindness, even in the face of another not being kind, that the downward spiral is interrupted. The other person is then given a chance to respond more kindly as well. Even if they choose not to, they are often able to realize that it is they who are choosing unkindness and not the person they are being unkind to. Also, it takes away their feeling of being justified in their actions. It really is hard to be unkind to someone, who is being kind to you, without eventually realizing that perhaps the problem resides within you.
I recently finished reading Gary Zukov’s new book, Soul to Soul: Communications from the Heart. He reminds us that “the intentions of your soul are harmony, cooperation, sharing, and reverence for Life”. He invites us to create authentic power in our lives, which involves holding our soul’s intentions. He also continually asks us to look at ourselves rather than others if we wish for things to be different. He points out that how much of our potential we realize is a result of the choices that we make. “For example, a person who speaks rudely to you gives you an opportunity to choose how you will respond.” He believes that we are given several doorways to choose from and that in each instance there is an optimal choice, which is to grow spiritually.
I hope you will choose kindness and spiritual growth and that you will experience the joy that these choices bring.
Love & Light,
Felicia Weiss
About Felicia Weiss, Ph.D.
Felicia co-publishes the Holistic Networker and produces the Wellness Expo. In her spare time, Felicia enjoys reading and working in the garden.
