Thank you for such a thoughtful response. I’m so glad the words resonated with you…it means a lot. Intentionality is everything, and I’m grateful it came through. Appreciate you taking the time to read my piece
Salwa, this is a brilliant expansion and reconciliation. You had me thinking about my own thoughts there too, and I'm glad we landed on the same page in the end. And thank you for the mention.
Adam, thank you for your kind words! I’m really glad this sparked some reflection…it’s always so meaningful to hear when my thoughts resonate with others. I appreciate the work you do and the conversations you spark, so mentioning you felt natural. Grateful we’re on the same page and continuing to explore these ideas together. With kindness back to you, Salwa.
@Salwa 🇬🇧 - Such a great piece on kindness and how to think about it as something we can build out if we want and choose. Well done! It reminds me of the quote by the Dalain Lama.
Don't ever mistake my silence for ignorance, my calmness for acceptance or my kindness for weakness. Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.
Bronce, thanm you for your kind words and for sharing that powerful quote! The Dalai Lama’s perspective captures the essence of kindness so beautifully….how it’s rooted in strength and intentionality, not weakness. I love the reminder that kindness and tolerance are choices we make, often in the face of challenges. It’s such a profound way to reframe how we approach compassion. I’m so glad the piece resonated with you!
Kindness can be interpreted as weakness by those who live life exploiting others. Exploitation of kindness can be unconscious so we must be intentional in our practice. This was excellent.
Thank you for this insightful comment Cathy, and you’re absolutely right, kindness can sometimes be misinterpreted or exploited, whether intentionally or not. Being intentional in how we practice kindness ensures it remains a strength, not a vulnerability. I really appreciate you sharing this perspective!
Beautiful post, Salwa. I also believe that kindness should be treated as a gift. Be mindful of what you give, to whom, and why—and make sure it’s received as something precious.
Thank you so much for this thoughtful comment Lorelai. I love the idea of kindness being treated as a gift…it makes it feel so intentional and meaningful. Being mindful of how and why we give truly honours the value of kindness. Such a beautiful perspective to add!
Exactly David, kindness starts with self-respect. Without boundaries, it’s easy to lose yourself in the process of giving. True kindness includes valuing your own needs and well-being too.
Thank you so much Kyle, your kind words mean a lot to me. I’m glad the post resonated with you…it’s always my hope to spark connection and reflection through my writing. Appreciate your support! 👊🏻
This is a good perspective to share. I learned the hard way that kindness doesn't always reciprocate and that it is okay to have a presence without showing kindness. It means being kind to the self and that is one of the most important things to remember. If your self-preserverence or sanity (or both) suffer, there is not much kindness to share with others. This is what leads to people being grouchy and unagreeable. Thank you both for sharing this. I look forward to reading more.
Thank you for sharing this perspective andit’s so true that kindness starts with being kind to ourselves. When we neglect our own well-being, it can leave us depleted, with little left to give to others. I love the reminder that self-preservation and sanity are essential foundations for kindness. Your reflection is such an important addition to this conversation, and I’m grateful you took the time to share it. Looking forward to connecting more through these discussions!
Kindness, once the self is taken care of is a no cost gift to others. If they can't accept it that's their issue. No skin off my nose to be kind and generous.
Powerful words, carefully crafted to evoke intentional consideration. Thank you for this.
Thank you for such a thoughtful response. I’m so glad the words resonated with you…it means a lot. Intentionality is everything, and I’m grateful it came through. Appreciate you taking the time to read my piece
Salwa, this is a brilliant expansion and reconciliation. You had me thinking about my own thoughts there too, and I'm glad we landed on the same page in the end. And thank you for the mention.
With kindness, Adam.
Adam, thank you for your kind words! I’m really glad this sparked some reflection…it’s always so meaningful to hear when my thoughts resonate with others. I appreciate the work you do and the conversations you spark, so mentioning you felt natural. Grateful we’re on the same page and continuing to explore these ideas together. With kindness back to you, Salwa.
@Salwa 🇬🇧 - Such a great piece on kindness and how to think about it as something we can build out if we want and choose. Well done! It reminds me of the quote by the Dalain Lama.
Don't ever mistake my silence for ignorance, my calmness for acceptance or my kindness for weakness. Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.
Bronce, thanm you for your kind words and for sharing that powerful quote! The Dalai Lama’s perspective captures the essence of kindness so beautifully….how it’s rooted in strength and intentionality, not weakness. I love the reminder that kindness and tolerance are choices we make, often in the face of challenges. It’s such a profound way to reframe how we approach compassion. I’m so glad the piece resonated with you!
Kindness can be interpreted as weakness by those who live life exploiting others. Exploitation of kindness can be unconscious so we must be intentional in our practice. This was excellent.
Thank you for this insightful comment Cathy, and you’re absolutely right, kindness can sometimes be misinterpreted or exploited, whether intentionally or not. Being intentional in how we practice kindness ensures it remains a strength, not a vulnerability. I really appreciate you sharing this perspective!
Beautiful post, Salwa. I also believe that kindness should be treated as a gift. Be mindful of what you give, to whom, and why—and make sure it’s received as something precious.
Thank you so much for this thoughtful comment Lorelai. I love the idea of kindness being treated as a gift…it makes it feel so intentional and meaningful. Being mindful of how and why we give truly honours the value of kindness. Such a beautiful perspective to add!
It sounds interesting.
Thank you Larry
Kindness without first being kind to one self and having boundaries is not kindness but doormat.
Exactly David, kindness starts with self-respect. Without boundaries, it’s easy to lose yourself in the process of giving. True kindness includes valuing your own needs and well-being too.
Salwa, thanks. You are one of the philosophers I love to follow. There are so many of you in this place that makes my gratitude explode.
Powerful title alone with an even better post behind it. Wise application of a skill that connects. Thank you Salwa 👊🏻
Thank you so much Kyle, your kind words mean a lot to me. I’m glad the post resonated with you…it’s always my hope to spark connection and reflection through my writing. Appreciate your support! 👊🏻
This is a good perspective to share. I learned the hard way that kindness doesn't always reciprocate and that it is okay to have a presence without showing kindness. It means being kind to the self and that is one of the most important things to remember. If your self-preserverence or sanity (or both) suffer, there is not much kindness to share with others. This is what leads to people being grouchy and unagreeable. Thank you both for sharing this. I look forward to reading more.
Thank you for sharing this perspective andit’s so true that kindness starts with being kind to ourselves. When we neglect our own well-being, it can leave us depleted, with little left to give to others. I love the reminder that self-preservation and sanity are essential foundations for kindness. Your reflection is such an important addition to this conversation, and I’m grateful you took the time to share it. Looking forward to connecting more through these discussions!
Kindness, once the self is taken care of is a no cost gift to others. If they can't accept it that's their issue. No skin off my nose to be kind and generous.
💙