The Act of Kindness In Modern Society

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Trying to survive as a young professional, I have learned qualities that are needed in order to endure the realities of a dog-eat-dog-world. Living in such a loud and aggressive society, hence, trying to make a name for yourself in a highly competitive industry – the art of survival should not merely be based on who is assertive enough to make a statement. Numerous times in life, I have been told, “In order to get what you want, do something. Fight for it.” Although I cannot deny that we must step out of our comfort zone in order to gain the respect that we need, success in every effort we put into, and feel a sense of accomplishment – there is one existing act that, most often, can be overlooked when we think about our end goals. And this is the act of kindness.

About a year and a half ago, I graduated from a Catholic university and I could still remember from all the activities that I ever did – writing a page long essay, researching for a group project, to studying for an exam, I must always remember to practice the act of faith. And honestly speaking, at that time, I did not understand the importance of living as a Christian and applying it to my statistics homework. That if I prayed hard enough I would, most definitely, pass the class without having to study for the rest of the semester? I would have failed! So it made no sense to me and I did not know how to connect the dots between faith and academics. However, as I stepped out as a fresh college graduate, trying to make a career and seeing how the world really worked, I saw it come together. It is how you treat others that surround you and how you treat yourself. I am not speaking on behalf Christianity, or any other religious beliefs, but I am speaking from how kindness really helped me grow as a person.

Kindness is selflessness. It respects and it gives. It is more than what I believe in but what our conviction is as a whole. It is generosity and it is sincere. With kindness, there is teamwork because we listen to what others have to say and every voice matters – whether it’s a loud roar or a whisper, it counts as a contribution to society. How can organizations function without the act of kindness when we are expected to work as a team? How can your relationship grow when you are expected to compromise and agree upon something? And these are things that I tell myself on a daily basis. Yes, I fall numerous times. I kick, scream, and curse out loud but my end goal is never just to achieve the impossible alone but to contribute to others, regardless of how little or how much I know.

As I write this, you may think that this is something we do everyday – it’s already known to be done. But if you are able to look into what you do, and the decisions you make, ask yourself if it benefits others too. A dear friend would often tell me, “Life is ironic. Treat others like you’re doing them a favor.” It may, sometimes, feel like you come shorthanded and you get nothing in return. If you’re too kind, people would walk all over you. However, you will have those moments when you will feel it to be rewarding and it’s those moments that motivate you to do more. To hear the words, “thank you” or “you really helped me”. It gives you purpose.

It simply makes you live.