Happy May! | How to Be Kind

Happy May! May has always been one of my favorite months of the year, the other being October. Both months typically feature glorious weather and a riot of color. In May I became a mother. And as a Catholic, I love the special honoring this month given to Mary, the Mother of God. To me, May is a month full of grace. 

Despite the suffering around the world at this time, May has arrived, and the simple pleasures of this month can gladden our hearts and lift our spirits. In Ohio, we can finally plant our gardens! With the states gradually opening back up, it's time to get out in the sunshine and boost our immune systems, which have likely been weakened during the extended period of quarantine and isolation. 

Unfortunately, in many areas around the USA, people are being deprived access to those very places and activities which would promote both mental and physical health. COVID-19 does not thrive outdoors, in bright sunlight, yet beaches and parks remain closed. Even in some cases where they are open, folks are being harrassed. I saw a video of a policeman on horseback insisting that an elderly couple (93 years old!) could not sit in chairs on the beach. There was no one in close proximity to them, and this is yet another case of absurd, draconian reactions to the health crisis. And it's simply not kind. I would go so far as to argue that it's immoral to force 93-year-olds to sit in the sand rather than on chairs. It's disrespectful of our elders, those very people most at risk, who we have taken all these precautions to protect. It's disgusting.

During these challenging times, we must not forget kindness. In the face of fear, do not become selfish. What I mean by that is, do not become so anxious and panicked that you attack others with judgement, harsh words, profanity, and shame, just because they disagree with you, or because they are doing things differently than you would. Keep an open heart. Listen to others' experiences and perspectives. We are not in a black-and-white situation, with easy, definitive answers. There is an overwhelmingly numerous number of considerations that must be balanced. Prayerfully consider whether any one element of the equation is really a hill you want to die on. Assume the best of others. Do not consider them stupid or in error simply because they make different choices. This is arrogance and pride. Choose compassion and lovingkindness instead. With so much more communication happening on social media than ever before, it's incumbent upon us to be honorable in our words. 

If we cease to be kind, nothing we think we are doing to "protect" ourselves and other people will matter. We will have destroyed what matters most.