A Case for Kindness

I know what I want to say... just not sure how to say it right...here goes:

WHY BE KIND?

I would like to offer a logical reason why it's imperative for us to be kind to one another.

Kindness is a very fluid thing that can take on all sorts of shapes, methods, and ways.  I can comfort someone and that's kindness.  Give a needy person some food, give an encouraging word to another, or pay someone's way through college.  All these are acts of kindness.  All these are forms of kindness or forms of charity.  Interestingly, one way that kindness can manifest is via money.  If I don't know what mode of kindness is best to do for someone -- I don't know if they need a kind word, or new shoes, or whatever, then I can just use a common denominator which is money and give them charity money.  With money the person can go and buy most things (therapy session, food, whatever).

THE MONEY CONNECTION

Money is a strong manifestation of kindness.  But it's the one who's doing the giving (of a product or service) who is being kind; the one who is consuming is being kind also -- more like gratitude.  The giver is the one who will be more blessed than the receiver.  Putting out a product to the world is a kindness.

So if people don't like you, they will not be kind to you -- they may not give you access to a product or service.  Or, even worse, if people don't like you, they may still be kind and give you access because they realize that the kindness is for them, but they may not want anything from your hands -- except maybe what they just gave you -- in other words,  if you try to offer a good or a service they may insist on cornering you into a "buyer's market" where they "give" you the amount they want to pay -- which is usually lower than your asking price.  

The highest form of kindness exchange would be where people put out whatever excess goods they have in a certain area and also come and get whatever they need.  Like giving charity anonymously and receiving charity anonymously.  I think many Native American Indians did it this way.  But that's not always possible.

THE TRAP

I have noticed and have learned from our great shepherds (May their memories be a blessing for us!) that in America especially, people do not want us to be producers.  They want us to be consumers -- to give away our kindness -- our money -- to work and earn kindness/money and give that away.   And give it away to those who don't like us, don't appreciate us, and would not give us an opportunity if we wanted.   But they don't want to receive products from us -- straight from our guts.  Things we create.  Businesses we begin.  They don't want us to give -- to partake in the blessing of kindness. And without kindness we get no money, no wealth blessings.  They would rather colonize a Black nation and suck the wealth out as if they were the givers.  Even many black folks don't want to participate in the kindness exchange with other Black folks.

So how do we make it in a system that is rigged for us to not be providers, producers or givers and to only consume (like saying thank you, oh, thank you forever and feeling indebted always)?

KINDNESS IS THE ANSWER

We have to use our wisdom and understanding to know that we only have ourselves right now.  We need to be kind to each other -- in other words, we need to give money to each other.  There is a campaign out there called Buy Black.  That is an awesome start.  But I want us to understand why we need to buy black and not just do it while the sun is shining.  If we give kindness to each other, that will bring wealth and yes, money as well.

Kindness comes in many forms.  I once saw a post on Facebook about a million dollar sandal.  Million dollar sandal!  It had carvings of animals on the strap, intricate jewelry, etc.  But showcasing the sandal was a Black person.  The only comments that post had was how ashy the feet was, how the toe nail was badly clipped. Nothing about the intricacies of the sandal.  Nothing about anything except criticism of the black guy's foot.   It was a sad sign.  There was zero kindness given, zero grace for that person.  Kindness is looking at someone with a positive eye.  We don't have to overlook a wrong, but be judicious in what we do with it.  Same goes with the "smDh" who has a damned head? And referring to one another as "yo a$$" -- why the backside?  Why the side of judgement? If not out of true love, then out of the wisdom of understanding that without the exchange of kindness we remain far from wealth and yet more blessings that await us.

THE STARVING ARTIST

And then you have the starving artist syndrome.  The one who does want to produce and does! But nothing seems to work.  They are starving and still trying to give of their kindness, sell their creation -- something that they made straight from their heart.  What now?  What is missing?

JUSTICE

The flipside of all this kindness is to keep it real.  To be truthful no matter how much it hurts.  And the truth is that probably nobody deserves an act of kindness.  Everyone has fallen short of being perfect and is probably deserving of punishment -- or at least no kindness.

That is a righteous way of looking at things. It's just.  But do we need justice at this point?  Yes!! We do.  As things stand right now there is no justice.  We see our fellow getting killed daily -- by the police at that!  There is no one to turn to.  No one to call.  What used to be the court is no longer a place of justice.  The media is the new court system.  And the media has never found us innocent -- always guilty.  The actual court system seems more like a farce or a ritual to keep everyone calm. 

But we shouldn't wait for criminals to give us a court system.  We should create a court system with our elders for ourselves and agree to abide by those rules.  We judge ourselves so that we not be judged Above.

With the combination of Truth and Justice, we will feel truly free and confident to move forward.  There should be no more doubt of undeservedness.  No more secret fear that we shouldn't have something or shouldn’t become something.  No question that we ought to move forward.

GRACE

I believe conviction, perseverance and determination is what will give us the grace that's needed for people to be receptive to gifts of kindness.  The giver themselves have to truly believe that what they have to offer is something so valuable that the world may crash if it's not given!  Then they won't be shy or have to worry about self-confidence because it will be a matter of urgency.

A MATTER OF URGENCY

And I want to tell you that what you have to offer is a matter of urgency.  We need black doctors, plumbers, carpenters, computer programmers, import/exporter everything...literally everything to create a functioning Black world.  If you close your eyes and imagine a functioning Black world how big would that world be?  To me it seems very vast and empty --where are the bank owners?  The water purifying companies?  The airlines?  Who is connecting to Afro-Cuba?  Who is connecting to Afro-Brazil?  To Afro-Asians (assuming they have embraced their Africaness) we need more people to populate it and we should give their businesses patronage -We are our economy.  May we be vessels for the Creator to bring goodness for our people.

Be kind.