Remind Yourself To Be Kind

Today, the universe reminded me in about 16 million different ways that, for the most part, we're all just doing our best to get by in life.

Consider —

• The administrative assistant processing expense reports, knowing her father might be nearing his end in intensive care.
• The account representative making phone calls to collect past due funds who is terrified that her ex-boyfriend, who has grown increasingly violent, will be waiting somewhere, sometime to hurt her with more than just his words.
• The usually happy-go-lucky coworker who just ended a long-term relationship and is walking through the world shell shocked. 
• The woman busily checking websites, worrying about what addiction is doing to her parents.
• The scared, homesick serviceman.
• The quirky dude selling sporting goods who is desperate for a career change.

I'm not one to preach, but humans live in groups for a reason. Sure, it might have started evolutionarily so we could physically protect each other and continue the species. But we also need each other for emotional support. In a world where our interactions are increasingly on social media or via some kind of electronic medium, we still need real people to lean on from time to time. People who look you in the eye and say, "I'm so sorry about your dad," or "I will do anything I can to help you out of this situation." To jump down in the hole with you, because they've been there before and they know the way out.

Being emotionally available gets short shrift these days. People are all "I'm so busy and I have my own problems and people need to man up." But really, the best people I know are the ones who have looked at me and effectively said "I see in you someone who is just doing her best to get by, and believe me, I'm doing my best too. And I feel like it's the hardest thing in the world. But hey, if you need me, we can probably do this better together."

Don't be afraid to be that person for someone else. Don't be afraid to go up to that admin or that co-worker and say "You look like you need to talk and I can listen." And then really listen. Don't be afraid to write a letter to a strange serviceman or woman, thanking them for their sacrifice and reminding them they're not forgotten. Don't be afraid to help. Don't be afraid to offer a kind word.

Mostly, don't be afraid to be human. In the end, that's what we all are. And we need each other and we need that kindness, now more than ever.