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49. Adv. Jane Olman
Partner, Rachlin-Olman Law Offices
Kindness
What it means?
Kindness is often described as the quality of being considerate and friendly. I like to think of kindness more in terms of the chessed definition: loving-kindness. True kindness is not only how we treat one another outwardly, but begins with the thoughts and feelings we have towards one another inwardly. Kindness is a generosity of the heart in the way we judge other people and the motives we attribute to their actions.
Why it matters?
More kindness in the world will only improve our society. Disagreeing with someone’s politics or actions when viewing them through a lens of disdain leads to dismissiveness and divisiveness. When being kind, one is more open to understanding where someone else is coming from and more forgiving of differences.
How can we promote it?
It is actually more difficult to *think* kindly of other people than to act kindly, but we can actively choose kindness of spirit and make it a habit. Actively try to give the benefit of the doubt, and allow for motivations for actions that you hadn’t considered. Words matter but so do the thoughts behind them.