Blog 3145 – 06.10.2024

Be Kind

The above quote is one of my favorites and was written on the chalkboard in Auggie’s fifth grade homeroom on his first day of regular school in the movie Wonder. Netflix recently added Wonder to its list of movies to stream. I saw it at the movies when in first came out in 2017. I highly recommend it to all. It is a moving film about how it is far more important to be kind than it is to be right.

The lasting appeal of great teachers like Jesus and Buddha is that they taught a kinder gentler way. The first President Bush in his re-election campaign spoke of a kinder gentler nation. And years later his son running for President referred to himself as a compassionate conservative. They represented a Republican Party that seems to be in the words of nineteen thirties author Margaret Mitchell, gone with the wind.

I used the last reference on purpose for it seems that we in this country and around the world are seeing an attempt to whitewash history in an attempt to make tyrants, slave owners, and crooked politicians the good guys. They were not then and they are not now, for they think that the golden rule is for suckers and losers.

When we make such people our heroes and choose them to be our leaders the words of Hosea always come true, “They have sown the wind and shall reap the whirlwind.” When we instead sow kindness the harvest is peace, love and understanding.

People who support and shelter terrorists should not be surprised when the rockets and attacks they launch others find their way back to them ten, a hundred, or a thousand fold. We refuse to follow the golden rule at our peril: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” There is always a return on our investments.

In closing I offer the:

Sowing kindness is far more important than being right. Wars are fought over arguments about who is the most right. There was never a war fought over who was the most kind.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White