I saw a bumper sticker the other day that I really liked.  It wasn’t deeply philosophical or witty or angry or promoting any politician or brand.

It simply read… BE KIND.

I’ve been thinking about it ever since.

This can mean so many things:

• Being kind is saying nice things to people.

My 4 year old has made so many people happy. “That’s a pwetty (pretty) shirt!  I like your sweater.  You look pwetty.”
She recently told an elderly lady that we walked past in the grocery store that she looked pretty.  The lady was so bashful as she said thank you that she blushed.  Then My little beach rose proceeds to say, “I love pink. That’s my favorite color. You look nice.” The lady had on a pink polyster skirt suit.  All three of us were glowing after that sweet exchange.

• Being kind is finding a nice way to say it…

My beach rose was at a birthday party and was in the middle of eating a chocolate cupcake when she says to me & the entire party in her toddler whisper, “Mama, this is not really my favorite.”  (Chocolate not her favorite?!  She can’t possibly be related to me?!)

Remember:
as my Mom always said, If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

• It’s giving a sincere compliment.

‘You look wonderful!  Wow!  You always look great, but you’re exceptionally stunning today.’

Be careful of the back-handed compliment… ‘your hair looks great that way; a lot better than when you wear it the way you normally do.’  Ouch!

• Being kind is giving a hand to someone that needs it.

I dropped off my beach rose at Sunday school and a little girl was crying for her Daddy. The little rose, who is normally clinging to my skirts as I try to leave, walked right over to the little girl, without a backwards glance at me, and put her arm around her shoulders, pat her back and kept saying ‘it’s otay, it’s otay’.

Kind: (adjective) wanting and liking to do good things and bring happiness to others; having or showing a gentle nature and a desire to help others.