“The human being is a social animal”. Every human being, by nature and originality has an inherent need to connect with other souls at some level. This true connection with others, brings about, a sense of satisfaction and happiness to the mind. An important virtue or quality that enables one to socialize and connect with others is the Virtue of Kindness. Kindness is a virtue usually associated with the heart and is said to bring out qualities of being friendly, generous, compassionate and considerate. A kind person is usually considered to be gentle, warm and caring. 

There is an inherent need in all of us to be kind and gentle, which explains the fact that after every act of kindness, there is an unexplained feeling of contentment, happiness and satisfaction. It is the attraction of this internal satisfaction that has led many on paths of philanthropy and charity.

When a small child gets a stray and hungry kitten home on a rainy day to feed, it is the act of innocent kindness in which he forgets the spots on the carpet and rugs that the kitten has brought about. He doesn’t even think about his mother’s scolding or decides to clean up before she gets home. All this just to see the kitten content without expecting anything in return. This is the true essence of kindness.

It is the innocence of the mind that makes it kind and giving. But, the varied experiences and the events of life weigh on us so much that we lose our innocence and kindness on the way. This in turn leads us to a feeling of dissatisfaction and emptiness. And we keep looking back at our childhood as a happy place where the mind was free and innocent, and being kind to others was easy and not foolish.

So let’s go back to being kind, and let the charity begin from home. Let’s first be kind to ourselves and then to others. Because, it is only a content and happy mind which can be kind to others. So the first step to kindness is to free the mind of the clutter of failures, defeats, insults, incompetence etc. Let’s not weigh too much on the mind by being self-critical and carrying a sense of guilt for our past mistakes. Mistakes and failures are just milestones on the path of learning. Let’s focus our energies on the learnings and the growth, and like the innocent child, befriend our minds and nurture them leading it back to innocence and contentment. Let it be enjoy the small moments of life and let it get content like the kitten.

Let’s take our first step to kindness!!