The group walks
Into the room,
Apprehensive faces,
Some bored.
They’ve learned that
These workshops are
Often a frustrating
Waste of time,
Nothing ventured,
Nothing learned.
Today, one at a time,
They look at a
Fellow co-worker,
And say something kind.
They thought the move
Would resolve everything,
That their lives would
Shift in some wondrous
Direction, all problems
Left behind, entrenched
Patterns eradicated,
Complete transformation through
A simple change of scenery.
It never had before,
History being what it is,
Past behavior a reliable
Predictor of the future.
A ruler non-pareil,
A visionary of
Exceptional brilliance,
A seer who will
Steer us into a
Brighter tomorrow,
On the wings of
Freedom and individuality.
A true prophet
Who will guide us
Through the turbulence
With unwavering valor.
His mighty plan is upon us,
His genius plain to see:
Demolish programs for the poor,
Destroy unions,
Obliterate government.
Kindness ends war.
How do I know?
Think of all the
Things that cause conflict:
Fear, greed, jealousy,
Lust for power,
Competition,
Unfilled holes,
Misunderstandings,
Unresolved issues,
Hurt feelings,
Pride, ego,
Inner brokenness,
Insecurity,
Pain from the past;
None of those things
Has anything remotely
To do with being kind.
Imagine a world where
People heal themselves,
Let go of all
The awfulness,
Learn how to love.
It’s possible;
We just need to
Practice kindness.
Walking down the street,
Looking at the
Faces of strangers,
He doesn’t feel fear,
But rather senses
Their shared humanity.
He smiles at them,
A gesture of kindness
Toward another person
Who needs to be treated with
Love and gentleness,
As we all do.
He remembers when,
As a child,
He defended a
Girl from another country
When a classmate
Said cruel things to her.
His parents had always told him that
Everyone is important and that
Superficial differences don’t matter,
That one should
Treat people with kindness
Regardless of where they are from
Or what they look like.
Many years later,
He still lets his voice be heard
Whenever and wherever
He sees someone
Being put down or marginalized
Just because someone else
Needs to feel bigger;
A kind person
Speaking out against harshness.
Instead of
Fear
He chose
Courage,
Instead of
Hatred
He chose
Love,
Instead of
Animosity
He chose
Kindness,
Hopeful
Choices
For him and
The world.
Light doesn’t get in here,
Only an unsettling dullness
Feeding unconsciousness.
Judgments arrived at
Through thoughtlessness,
Ferocious fear.
Enlightenment derided,
Hurt the only
Acceptable currency.
Another reflexive reaction
To imaginary threats,
Absence of love.
Everything is going along
Much as it always has,
Until something changes.
Whether due to an accumulation
Of slights over time,
A single major event,
Or increase of self-esteem,
The relationship shifts,
Moving in a new, less intimate
Direction, trust depleted,
Superficiality followed by
Disengagement, one party
Expanding, the other static,
Continuing separately.
