To Be or Not To Be

A little kingdom I possess,
Where thoughts and feelings dwell;
And very hard the task I find
Of governing it well.
~ Louisa May Alcott

...that more or less describes my situation!

~A Wise Man Said~

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
~ Aristotle
Saturday, October 05, 2019
 

It seems to me a precious quality, to have it in one's power to be cruel and get away with it, and yet to choose to be kind. 
Though I say ‘choose’, paradoxically I don't think it's about choice at all. It's not about what we choose to do but what we cannot help but choose because of who we are. The innately non-kind or mean person though will show cruelty when they know they can get away with it; their surface kindness is a show and when there is no audience or when behind the curtains their mask will drop soon enough. The kind person might even be cruel to be kind in public because they are not doing it to appear kind—but it will be very easy to distinguish this kind of well-intentioned cruelty from the mean one and you will even respect them the more for it because their kindness comes from a place of strength and not weakness as it may be assumed of some versions of kindness.
Lately, I must admit I have been preoccupied with the virtue of kindness. It is only when you experience darkness that you really see the value of light, and the last few years have taught me its value both by absence and abundance. I hope to express more kindness in my life and relations as well... while kindness does emanate from who one is one cannot deny that there are other parts of the person one is that could at times conflict with kindness. I guess in these instances it becomes a choice... and I hope to choose kindness more.
 
When all was dark
And I was lost
Ready to give up
Lay down my weary guns
When it didn't seem
I could go on
Anymore
That is when you
Unassuming and kind
Came into my life
Like a warm glow
Of light
Lifted me up
From the very
Ground
Scooped me
Trampled and mangled
Brought me to life
Little by little
Not knowing
What a huge difference
It made
Your every small act
Of kindness

~Me

posted by Sylvia D'souza at 4:37 am 0 comments
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