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"Be the better person."-Unknown
"Kindness makes you the most beautiful person no matter what you look like."-Unknown
"In a world where you can be anything, be kind."-Unknown
How many times have we heard these quotes? I, for one, have lived my life by them. I was always taught that it was always best to "do the right thing" and "be the better person." While I agree with all of the quotes above and practice living my life being kind, at what point does being kind become more detrimental rather than beneficial? Such an odd question. How could this be?
I think at certain times, kindness is mistaken for weakness. Humans can be selfish and can take advantage of others. Humans often act without thinking things through or act without thinking of the consequences. That being said, kind people can be taken advantage of and stretched out too thin. Kind people take on negativity without giving it back.
The question then arises, how can kind people stand up or defend themselves without being unkind? I have thought this question over, time after time. And then it occurred to me. What if you weren't kind, you weren't mean, you were just neutral? You accept what is and don't respond.
For one, there won't be frustration, exhaustion or negativity that may take place if you had responded. You won't feel these feelings and as a result won't send them out to the universe. Morals and values can be maintained. Positive energy can spread. While this may sound passive, maybe it is, in fact, progressive.
Regardless of what decision you make, when you act, think it through. I forever will stand behind the idea of always being kind. However, just a thought...sometimes, remaining neutral is the kindest solution.
