CANADA CONNECTION: That Virtue Called Kindness

EPITOME OF A GOOD CHRISTIAN – Is saying “How are you?” just a simple greeting? Or a mere expression of feeling?
As for me, whenever I greet a friend or co-worker I simply mean it as a gesture of showing my care, concern, consideration, and love.

For instance, in the Messenger Chat page, I always write “Kmusta” to Facebook friends back home, whether on Inactive or Active Status, if only to relay my lonesome moments and the intensity of how much I miss them.

Some friend though finds it corny as I did it repeatedly all the time, but I think to greet a friend with “kmusta” (Hi, or how are you) is a rekindling of our sincere friendship that has remained doormant over the years, and a manifestation of my kindness towards anyone I have friendly linked over the years.

Kindness, as defined in the Daniel Webster dictionary, is a virtue of having and showing love for others, eloquently expressing affection, sympathy, warm heartedness, and considerate feeling.

By being kind to fellowmen, even a foe or friend, would certainly develop an atmosphere of harmony, understanding, and peace.

In the workplace, kindness leads to achieving unity and teamwork, thereby accomplishing the task efficiently at a specified timeline.

Kindness can be displayed in several ways and occasions, such as: speaking politely rather than being harsh, brutal, or drastic; offering a seat to oldies inside the bus; giving a free ride during jeepney strike day; sharing foods to indigents, whether or not it’s Christmas Day; providing shelter to the homeless fire victims; sponsoring a deserving indigent scholar; offering a hand to help a co-worker; unselfishly sharing your knowledge of healthy living; yielding readily the traffic to emergency vehicles like ambulance, fire truck, or car on a hazard; tutoring with no fee the out of school youths; respecting and assisting elders and persons with disabilities at all times; volunteering in school and church services, donating relief clothing and food items to flood or fire victims; and such other gestures of other-centeredness or selflessness.

Indeed, a kind person is an epitome of a Christian worthy of emulation.

*** *** ***

HAVING MET KIND PERSONS – In many instances in my life I personally had met kind persons, and benefitted positively to their kindness, which, whenever I remember, warms the cockles of my heart.

During my high school days, an almost 5-kilometer walk from home to our school, vice-versa, was our usual daily activity, but thanks to kind tricycle drivers in providing us a free hitch ride infrequently, our tiredness was alleviated, especially when we walked under the scorching heat of the sun or amidst the heavy downpour.

Sleeping with empty stomach, me and my siblings would be happy enough being awakened by a kind neighbor who brought a plate of rice and some viands, including a glass of milk, for us.

I’m also very much grateful to the kindness of Mr. & Mrs. Felix Guelos for being my foster parents during my high school days.
To the late Mayor Renato Fermin of Victorias City, I also appreciate his kindness in providing a free service car to our mother going to the hospital in Bacolod City at a time when she was catching up her breath.

Ditto with the Balleza family who has the kindness of providing a room to our family after our father’s ancestral house was sold.

I’m also grateful to Mrs. Gloria Lamata for being kind to our family in opening her store for our grocery needs despite the payment was always delayed.

I am grateful to the late Ramon Garcia who was so kind in referring me to Mr. Jose Cape for work at Victorias Milling Company.

I’m also thankful to the late Santi Alacapa and Pert Toga for their kindness in accommodating me in the Editorial Staff of Negros Daily Bulletin.

The kindness of the late Jose Batapa in helping me secure a loan for our plane fare to Canada was very commendable.

Indeed, I could not help but express my earnest and sincere appreciation to those persons whose kindness is nothing but worthy to remember.

A million thanks to all.* (Dan Cajurao)