I believe that the world needs more kindness. And I believe that nature is trying to send us a message that the need for kindness is quite urgent.
Spreading kindness does not need a top-down approach. It is something that starts with us, the general population of this world.
Spreading kindness does not require any preparation. There is no planning, no approval process, and no license required to be kind to someone.
It starts right here, right now. As we approach a fellow human being we see, we must be kind.
The world is a busy place. There are movements of people across the world, there is commerce, there is trade, there are hopes and dreams, there are struggles, there are challenges, and there are ongoing crises. In the haste and hurry of life, there are those who forget to be kind. And there are those who prioritize kindness above anything else.
I believe that the good will always win against the bad. Those who are right will always win against those who are wrong. And that is why the world moves forward.
Recently natural events have made me think a lot. Recent earthquakes, in particular, have prompted me to take a look at the world and try to figure out what it is that nature is trying to tell us.
And I asked myself: Do we need more kindness? I believe the answer is yes.
There was a series of earthquakes in Bangladesh, over the last couple of weeks. Scientists think that there might be a massive earthquake in that region soon.
Just recently, there was an earthquake affecting Alaska and western Canada. And then, there was a massive 7.5 magnitude earthquake affecting Japan, which prompted the authorities to issue a tsunami warning.
Beyond earthquakes, there are floods, wildfires, cyclones, and more.
As a result of these natural events, there is widespread fear among people in various parts of the world. The fear of natural disasters brings people closer to God. People start to reexamine the priorities in life. People pause and ask: What is it that we need to do?
I believe that nature speaks to us. We just have to be able to listen.
It is my understanding that nature wants us to be more kind.
Just as we look around us, we see tremendous need. There are children living in poverty. There are seniors struggling to afford nutritious food. There are many elderly individuals spending their old age in loneliness, either at home or in a residential facility.
There are many young adults struggling to establish a meaningful career. There are many people approaching their retirement age and realizing that they still have not met their professional goals in life.
There are human beings living with painful chronic illnesses. Many are suffering from disabilities.
There is homelessness, there is food insecurity, there is unemployment and under-employment, and more.
As we look across the world, there are places where people experience suppression of freedom, restrictions on speech, divisions based on race and religion, and more. All of these lead to a lot of suffering.
Of course, the world has an abundance of good-hearted beings who bring hope to those in need. There are benevolent individuals who seek to spread joy. Many kind souls look for ways to alleviate the pain and suffering of others.
But perhaps, we ought to do more.
We need to pause and take our eyes off the computer and smartphone screens and look at the people around us. We ought to get up from our chairs and go talk to our loved ones and the people we care about. Maybe we need to shake hands, rather than sending a greeting with a text message. Perhaps we need to hug the ones we love, rather than sending an email with smiley emojis.
Technology is wonderful, but togetherness has the power to heal. Perhaps, we need to free ourselves from the web of self-centeredness and try to be among people. Engaging in real human interactions, listening to each other’s sorrows, sharing uplifting words, spreading optimism, and making eye contact as we speak with others are what we need to do more of.
Nature is trying to tell us that there are deficiencies. Nature is trying to point out gaps that we must fill.
The need for kindness is urgent. The actions we take today will determine our future. We must coexist in harmony, regardless of color or creed. I am hopeful that the people of this world will take the right steps and perform greater acts of kindness.