Kindness

Today my kids and I went to my dad's house (which we've been doing a lot lately because he likes having company) and just before his house we passed a snake. It was black and decent sized and I thought it was fake. There are animals who I could see people thinking it would scare. There are kids who I could see thinking it'd be fun(ny) to put a fake snake out in the road and watch how people reacted to it.

We parked and my kids of course had to go see it. I kept saying, it's fake, don't go over there by the street. They went anyway (because of how well they listen to me). Then they came running over to me saying it was real and moving. So I had to go check it out.

It was bigger than I thought, but not scary, more interesting than anything else. But they were correct. It was real and it was moving. I could tell something was wrong with it though. Maybe its head got ran over or something, but it couldn't move quite right.

Suddenly my dad's friend comes over and kicks it around a little. Then it was moving (better, but not perfect) straight for him. He says it looks like its head was smashed and it was suffering. So he said he'd go get his truck and run it over so it could die.

He did. It made a horrible popping noise as his truck went over it. My kids thought it was awesome and even laughed. They even thought it was a little funny that it wasn't even dead. All that and it was now suffering even more than before.

And I couldn't believe my kids could do that. Which I called them over and told them. I told them they knew better than to find joy in any living thing dying and they straightened up and even seemed to feel bad.

The point to all this though is kindness isn't something easily given. It's not a natural thing anymore. I firmly believe people found being kind a little easier back in the day. I try and have always tried to be kind. Sometimes I'm too kind and get pushed around, sometimes I'm not kind enough and feel guilty later. I found no joy in the snake being ran over. I felt really bad (honestly didn't think the guy was serious until he came zooming around the corner). But I guess I can also find the kindness in putting the snake out of its misery. (Probably would find it better if they snake had actually died from it though.)

Over the years, especially the last four or five, I've come to think 9 out of 10 people are hateful. I could be wrong. Maybe I just find too many unkind people. (Not that unkind people are always unkind, just capable of being unkind too often.) And even if I'm just too jaded, there's still way too much mean in this world and I think everyone could benefit from everyone finding more reasons and ways to show kindness to everyone.

Because I think a lot of people expect other people to be unkind and it tends to make people that way. So, go out and spread a little kindness this Monday. Have a wonderful day and I'll see you later. :)