How To Be Kind When People Hurt You

Last week, we talked about how to endure hardships in life by transmuting our adversity into blessings for others. This week, I want to discuss how kindness multiplies when we share it.

Consider again a tree – this time, one that bears fruit. The tree toils under relentless sun, wind, and rain, sometimes for years, before it reaches maturity and can bear fruit. 

The first fruits of a young tree are typically of low quality. Over time, however, it begins to produce fine fruits through its labor. People are similar.

Like trees, we endure harsh circumstances in our lives. We turn these painful experiences into fuel that makes us taller, stronger, and better. Eventually, we develop the maturity to provide comfort and fruit for other creatures.

But why should we use our energy to bear fruit for the benefit of others?

Because fruit spreads seeds.

Quote Of The Week

“A tree does not despair when its fruit falls to the ground, because it knows in due time, its seeds will rise.” ― Matshona Dhliwayo

Seeds Die In Darkness

Unlike us, trees do not move from the place they are planted. This is perhaps why they become so resilient in the first place – they cannot change their circumstances, so they must accept them and thrive.

As part of this adaptation, a tree bears fruit as a means of reproduction. It lives humbly but works hard to bear good fruit so that the fruit may be carried away and eaten, and its seeds planted elsewhere. Eventually, a forest grows.

If a tree simply dropped its seeds directly beneath it, its canopy would starve its offspring of life-giving sunlight. It would labor silently as a community of one until finally, it died, alone.

A kind tree bears the fruit of kindness, which is consumed for its sweetness, and therefore the kind tree multiplies. A hateful tree bears the fruit of hate, which is avoided for its bitterness, until the hateful tree rages away unto a lonely death.

Be a kind tree – endure hardship with grace and bless others with kindness at every opportunity. Eventually, perhaps even after your death, a forest will grow from the gifts you shared with others.

Question Of The Week

Have you ever withheld kindness from someone because you felt they didn’t deserve it? What was the result – more kindness, or more bitterness?