Why I Am Kind To Strangers

It seems basic, right?  Why I am kind to strangers seems to have an obvious answer.  In fact more than one obvious answer.  Why is it then that kindness seems to be lacking in society?  I was born in 1982 and grew up in the 80’s and 90’s where kindness was a basic staple of how people spoke to me, and how I spoke to them.  I’m speaking from someone who was brought up in a white, working class family in the north of England.  Your circumstances will be different but I think what I’m about to say will fit in with almost every society and community. 

That’s just the thing though, community, where is it?  Once upon a time in a town not so far, far away I used to know all the names of my neighbours.  I wouldn’t think twice about knocking on their door for something I needed, and they would so the same.  You get the idea.  Now live in London, and yes there are millions of people here but I can count on one hand the amount of times someone has smiled back at me when walking from A to B.  I don’t think that population density should equal a negation of kindness. 

So much crime, so much bad news, so much poverty.  I see it on a daily basis and seeing the good in people despite all this is one of challenges I have on my journey to a realised state of mind.  

That person who you walk past in the street, or see at work, the one who you don’t really get on with.  Those people are all you, a reflection of you, sometimes the worst in you.   Their dreams and desires, their happy place, their love for their family and friends – it’s all remarkably similar to your own.  We’re not too dissimilar you know when you boil it down.  We all want to be happy, not to suffer pain, so why is kindness so lacking in us all? 

Life throws categories at you constantly; man or woman, black or white, tall or short, fat or thin, gay or straight, rich or poor.  All these different categories that we put other people in do nothing but separate us and make us think we don’t have to be kind.  ‘That person is different from me’, wrong, you are more alike than you know.  ‘When you see the whole world as one you see someone else’s pain as your own and want to help’ (someone else wrote that little gem – not sure who!)  

“Does it take a spiritual awakening to work when the driving force isn’t money?”

I am going to be the change I want to see in the world and I realised fairly soon in my awakening that being the change is easy.  Why I am kind to strangers is as simple as; I will be that which I want to see change for the good.  I want people to be kind to me, strangers and friends alike, and to get that I must show the world what that feels like. 

Personally I don’t think I’ll have to stand in a busy area and give out free hugs (although that is always very cool when people do that), I will just smile, shake hands, if someone looks like they may need some help, help them.  This isn’t rocket science, lets face it if it was I probably wouldn’t have caught on.  In that though lies its magic, it is so simple and easy, so natural, that everyone can do it.  

Not usually, well not in the way you might be thinking.  To think that you should be kind to strangers to receive some kind of recognition or thanks is again missing the point.  Well I think so anyway.  Similarly I don’t get the loving feeling from smiling at strangers from them, it is within me.  The drive to be kind to others comes from somewhere deep in me, I’ve always been the same.  I’m always the one who speaks to random folk about all kinds of stuff usually for way too long.  I believe it to be one of my best characteristics and it has been grown more and more along my journey.  The love and warmth that I get on a daily basis from being kind to people hits me right in the feels.  I know that I am being the change that I want to see in this world.  

It’s a short summary this time, it doesn’t need much explanation.  Being kind to people makes me believe that I am doing good everyday.  I think it is the single biggest thing I do to change the world for the better.  Give it a go. 

What are you waiting for, be kind to someone you don’t know. 

Realiser was born from a dream to be in a realised state, a state of awaken.  To be able to see the most obvious things having missed them for so many years.  Subsequently I wanted to create something to serve as an example of how it could be.  If only we might spend the time loving that we spend hating.  Above all spending the time to be kind to others for no reason.  You get the idea.  I will travel around doing what I can and would love for you to join me.  Follow my path here…