Kindness. A most important behavior.
I have spent much of the week shocked by the failures of humanity. Like everyone I am shocked, but perhaps not completely surprised by the dangerous, divisive noise that has spread around the world since the Hamas attack. I cling to the example set by Global Empowerment Mission, look for the light and support all those suffering, regardless of their faith or nationality.
Whilst shifting through my Mum’s archives I stumbled on this letter, written to her by a close Indian friend in the 1980’s, who had moved to the USA but was thinking back to life before partition and I thought it felt a bit relevant, tell me if you agree….
In the Punjab, they were mostly Sunnis. We were the only Hindu family who had land in the west Punjab, all our neighbors were Sunni Muslims, and to the north of us were the Noors and to the south the Tiwanas, and to the west the Hyatts, and we were all like brothers, religion never entered our minds. Many a time I was invited to pray in a mosque and many a time my Muslim brothers prayed in our temple. How much I miss this Pammy, and how much I miss the west Punjab, the wide sweep of the plains between the rivers, the deodar trees, the fields of mustard and cotton. The winter sunsets and the early morning mists around the rivers and lakes, and most of all I miss the kindness of the people.
Kindness. An important word. A most important behavior.
How utterly simple; yet profound. ‘Kindness’. Apart from love, it’s the one thing we lack- yet crave- the most. 🙏🏾
What a beautiful insight to what (on the surface of it) sounds like a much simpler, happier, healthier and more tolerant part of life ‘back to the day’….. A time before polarisation. Before ‘One side versus another’.
What doth it profiteth a man, the right to be born, if he suffers the loss of liberty…..
Laws were made for people and the law can never scorn the right of a man to be free
We are the people and we shall overcome.
As Gandhi said ‘Satyagraha’. Who knew. Although the British East India Company does me a fine job (live and let live) until The Crown took over.
I’ve never been to India. But from what I’ve seen, it is so beautiful and diverse in a many ways. From the cold north to the South. Steeped in history, literacy, education, achievements, scholars and intellectuals. A special place.