Trish awoke in a hospital bed, anxious and confused. She was told that she had survived a car accident and lost both of her legs. She later learned that her husband and two children had not survived the collision.
Gretchen struggled every day. After that horrible spring night ten years ago, she still struggled with PTSD and viewed every man as a threat. Just leaving the house was a triumph most days.
Sonja hated the 4th of July. The fireworks transported her back to the days in the military. Walking through desert towns, the smell of death in the air. Watching people die and hearing the screams of civilians. Her service dog, Chance, quickly comes to comfort her.
Sadie was kidnapped at the age of 11. Thankfully, she was found, but the nightmares still linger. Fear grips her like a vice as she attempts to find some semblance of normalcy in a loud and chaotic world.
Josie carried the baby for 9 months. She did everything right. Two days after his birth, Josie said her goodbyes to the tiny human who stole her heart. Her heart was buried with him the day they laid his little body to rest.
Aubrey stands in the alley behind the taco shop. She waits for Julio to bring her two tacos. “Can you give me a job, now?” She asks. “No. I’m sorry,” Julio says. He hands her the tacos and disappears through the back door. Aubrey stares for a few seconds before walking the two blocks to another alley where she climbs inside her small, dirty tent.
Every day we cross paths with numerous people from various backgrounds. We never know what is going on in people’s lives or what they are dealing with. Some people have experienced excruciating pain. Others are struggling just to find the basic necessities to survive.
So many people have survived things that they wish they hadn’t. Surviving isn’t the difficult part, honestly. Living after surviving is the hardest part sometimes. Experiencing such trauma and/or loss leaves many people feeling hollow and misunderstood. They walk around with a pain and reactionary response that many cannot begin to understand.
Before you decide that someone is weird or too much because of a trauma that haunts them, imagine how you would feel if you were in their shoes. Humans are notoriously quick to judge others. It’s a curse, really. Kindness, however, can go a long way. In today’s society, kindness is often considered radical. There is even a term for it: Radical Kindness. This occurs when people choose to be kind even in the most challenging situations.
By choosing kindness we can change our own behaviors and thoughts. We can improve relationships and even bring positivity and hope to our communities. Being radically kind simply means that you choose compassion every day, even when it’s difficult.
In today’s society, “radical” has negative connotations. It’s often used in the political world to mean “extremist.” Most of these terms refer to religion and/or politics. What if we just use the terms “radical” or “extremist” in a humanist context? After all, we are all human. Maybe I’m just not fitting into that little societal box, but to me, being radically kind of extremely compassionate doesn’t sound all that bad.
The world is a dark and chaotic place. Radical kindness brings a shimmering light into the darkness. It is needed in today’s society.
