Kindness: the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
We all know people whom society deems as "too kind." These individuals seem to be never-ending friendly to everyone, give more than they receive, and overthink the emotions of others. This leads them to actions that are ultimately judged as acts of weakness.
But why? Kindness tends to be a quality people want to find in others. So why, when we find this quality in someone, would we make them feel ashamed of it?
To help explain what I mean, let me give a quick example. A friend of mine was dating this new guy. They had probably been dating about three weeks, when he became frustrated with how kind she was.
But his argument, which is what that conversation turned into, was one she'd heard over and over again.
You're too kind. Why would you be okay with someone doing that to you? Why would you give them a second chance? You're letting people walk all over you. People are just going to take advantage of you. You're letting people use you. You can't stand up for yourself, can you? You need to learn to stand up for yourself. You need to stop being so kind.
Well, when you have that kind of mindset, no wonder you think they're weak. But maybe you're jumping to conclusions a little too quickly. They're not oblivious. They can spot users, and can recognize being hurt by people. They get angry and upset, too. They simply choose their battles. They tend to think more with their hearts, rather than their minds. They choose to listen and feel what others are saying. That's why they're so prone to giving second chances. They listen with their whole being, rather than just their ears. Are they always right? No. Do they sometimes let their heart get the best of them? Of course.
But who doesn't?
Who hasn't stayed too long in a friendship or a relationship and been blindsided by all the negative? Who hasn't given people the benefit of the doubt before? Who hasn't put their trust in the wrong person before?
We all do it. It doesn't matter if you're the kindest or the most guarded person in the world. You're going to make mistakes, and judge incorrectly. How we choose to react to situations is unique to each of us. We all have different stories and pasts that make us who we are. It molds us to be the unique humans we are. So some people are friendlier than others. Some smile a lot more than the people around them. Some give a thousand chances to someone who would only give one. How they treat others, though, is not a sign of weakness. Just because they are kind, does not mean they are blind. They learn from their mistakes, and know how to mold their heart and expectations to the situation at hand, just the same as the people around them. Give them a little more credit. Kindness is kindness. Do not mistake it for weakness.
