We Need More Kindness In 2018

Well, it has been one hell of a year. Ever the optimist, I’d like to believe that the reason behind why things became this bad, with all the emboldened racists, neo-Nazis, sexists was to show us that the world desperately needed to address some issues that have long since been swept under the rug. And in this new world of ours, some amazing things have happened: The #MeToo movement bringing attention and exposing how wide spread sexual harassment is, a strong pushback and resistance against the racism that has reared its head and the tireless work of mental health advocates is slowly opening up spaces for people to discuss their mental health and how it affects them.

I’d also like to believe that the reason these last few years have been a lesson in what we need to do as a society. The biggest thing we need to do, is recognise that having empathy for others, being kind to one another and not oppressing people for their beliefs is a basic requirement for the world to grow to better and warmer place.

Kindness, as it turns out is BRAVE. Being able to look at another person and not let your personal belief system and the way you were raised to oppress them is not being kind, it is fundamentally what every human being should do. But to actively fight for people who are different from yourself against systemic racism, misogyny, homophobia, this is bravery. Also, it does not take much to be kind to others. Holding the hand of someone who is in pain. Helping someone who looks like they are struggling. Going out of your way to be softer to people who you know are going through a hard time.

Being a decent human being is the rent you should be paying to exist in this world. Being a kind human being is putting good things back in the world in hopes of making it better for the children who are just now growing up in it.

I believe, and I genuinely believe that 2018 will be the year that people fight back against oppression and resist the hatred that 2016 and 2017 brought so hard, that decent human beings try so much harder to be kind that the world will reboot itself into a better, stronger, more diverse and inclusive place. Because kindness should always win. Love should always win. It needs to, so we can make a better world for our children.