Being "Nice"

I want to be nice.

My heart is a tender heart, a sweet one which desires to be kind, to be good to do the right thing, make a very kind choice.

The world chews nice people into a fine mush then spits them out.

I have been the nice person, then the fine mush.

As much as I desire to be kind, to be sweet, to be so congenial that I can eat rainbows and poop out glittery butterflies.

In a perfect world, this may be possible. Um, maybe. Yup.

Alas, this is an imperfect world.

A world where cell phones put us in touch with people far away.

Unfortunately, the users of cell phones ignore those with them, in person, while the "others" feel the frustration of being so obviously ignored for the sake of invisibles at the moment.

Do you think I'm referring to you? Really, I'm not. Check yourself!

(just in case)

If I could be who I am, naturally. I would be kind, caring, helping those who are suffering.

Although I'm not active in the LDS church, a hymn that I still know the words by heart repeats in a loop in my thoughts ~

Because I have been given much

I, too must give

Because of thy great bounty Lord

Each day I live

I shall divide my gifts from thee

With every brother that  I see

Who has the need of help from me

Enough of that, am sure the vision is clear. It does, however, go through personal thoughts when suffering is in front of me. Fem acquaintances say I resemble guys in that aspect. Oh, I listen, I also wish to help to ease the suffering. To fix it.

The lesson learned from this is that it's important to be "nice" to myself, first. As it is stated in numerous psychological articles as well as the airlines. Place your oxygen on yourself first so that it's possible to remain  conscious to help others.

Still, wishing to be kind requires effort, thought planning. 

Equally?

It entails holding back ......... a lot.

There are many who have spidey sense as to who is an easy mark to be taken advantage of as well as those that are too much work to get whatever their agenda is to extract their means to an end.

Having been the patsy of many before FINALLY learning a mostly painful lesson.

Would love to buy the world a coke to keep it company.

So depleting.

Instead?

Continuing to help others, mostly anonymously, continuing to volunteer (as long as I wake up early enough) is a part of basic character.

Part of my own learning progress was caused by reading a book that changed my life.

The Nice Girl Syndrome by Beverly Engel

This book set about changing my personal mindset.

When you have an opportunity to be cruel or to be kind.

Please, be kind.

A door mat is the anti-thesis to being kind.

Be kind to yourself, inside your private thoughts, first. Then, be kind to others.

They may be going through something less than visible to the world.

Be kind.

More love, less regrets.