The Law of Kindness is the most basic law of humanity. It transcends all religions, races, genders, sexualities, abilities... it is rooted in the value and worth of all living beings. I found the Law of Kindness in Tolstoy's character Levin, in "Anna Karenina." His recognition that the society he was living in undervalued the peasant class. He struggled with the class structure of his world and his own religious beliefs because of how interconnected religion is with class struggle. His view was that there was a Law of Kindness which was greater than all other laws and which, unlike most laws of men and church, did not place a greater value or idea of spiritual worthiness on a person based on their class.

In my own exploration of the source of suffering in our world, I found that this Law of Kindness is what we need to embrace most today. We have lost our sense of accountability and responsibility to one another because we live in a world which uplifts profit and personal gain over the well-being of others. For us to ever live in a different world without so much systemic suffering, we need to collectively choose that this law is more important than all others and must be the essence of all other laws we create or structure our society around. Our social compact must be reassessed. Our current system is working perfectly, but only for a very few, while creating so much suffering for so many. Our success must be measured by the well being of our most vulnerable, and by reducing the very vulnerability our system creates. To achieve this we are faced with a collective decision; to courageously face the work of creating a new system, or to continue down the path we are on and to a future of even greater suffering and ultimately our own destruction. Our system as it is, is not conducive to human or planetary well-being. We CAN choose to create something different, but it begins with each of us. 

Ask yourself:

• Do I reflect kindness in my thoughts, words and actions?

• If not, where/how can I increase this in my life?

• Does my church or religious group reflect kindness? Do they promote hate in any way or exclusiveness? Do they otherise and create separation? Do they reflect and promote unity and connection with ALL?

• Do the political leaders you support walk in kindness? Do they demonstrate this in their beliefs, behaviors, statements and actions?

• Do you teach kindness to your children? Do you model kindness? 

• Do you talk with your children about kindness when discussing people who are different from you or your family culture? 

• Do you teach your children HOW to be kind, what it looks like, what to do when it is hard? 

• Do you take time to reflect on how you impact others? Do you see how many small actions, beliefs, words all play into the many systems which create suffering? Do you see the ways your actions, beliefs, words either contribute to suffering, or help to eliviate it? 

• Are you willing to see areas you might need to INCREASE kindness in your life? Our culture does not teach or instill accountability or a willingness to self reflect, so this may not be something you are used to or really familiar with. If you wish to work on this, reach out to a therapist to help guide you through gently stepping into self evaluation. You CAN learn to be a person who lives and moves through life with kindness.