THE CURATIVE BENEFITS OF KINDNESS: By Joe Van Langenberg

With the festive season already having kicked off and December 25 is slowly but surely fast approaching, with just over four days to go; a feeling of exhilaration especially among the young and carefree, is about to shift gears.

For some, or most, with considerable financial wherewithal, Christmas Day is one of enjoyment, with no expense spared and an unrestrained desire to paint the town red.

Those who do possess the means to indulge in the niceties of the season, shouldn’t be envied, nor should they be faulted for doing so, given the fact, that it’s their undeniable prerogative.

That been said, it ought to be borne in mind, that there are a multitude of others who have the same right, as the rest of society’s affluent to celebrate this Great Day; but are sadly unable to do so, due to obvious reasons.

Destructive critics, or those who unfairly rush to the conclusion, that those who have fallen on hard times, have been responsible for their predicaments, have no qualms in deriving sadistic pleasure by sitting in judgement on the have-nots, without either getting their facts straight, before labelling the down and outs a waste of space, or an embarrassment.

Although it will be unfair to expect anyone to give those, unable to fend for themselves, due to circumstances beyond their control, unlimited handouts to take them from one day to the next, there’s nothing difficult in treating them with kindness and dignity they deserve.

The inspirational Lady Gaga in her motivational speech to the United Nations Assembly around five years ago, said this, among other things, when waxing lyrical about kindness ” The best thing about kindness is that it’s free and doesn’t hurt”. Such simple words so pregnant with meaning, but yet so very profound.

As evidenced in the video, multi-faceted musician, versatile songstress and sought after song writer Jewel, whose life wasn’t exactly a bed of roses at the very outset, describes the hard life she led, but with the curative benefits of kindness, rose like the proverbial Phoenix from the ashes of doom.

In the end she says, kindness only matters.

There’s no better way to describe this word.

During this festive season in general and on Christmas Day in particular, it’s imperative to look deep within our hearts and reach out to those, whose lives have been fractured and torn asunder by debilitating and drastic forces, brought about by the ravages of depression.

Perhaps, some may be of the view, prejudiced or otherwise, that those begging on the street, the little girl with blisters on her feet standing on the kerb, with nowhere to rest her aching head and tired body; need to take responsibility for the situation they find themselves in.

That been said, it also needs to be pointed out, that however intelligent or educated one may be, or who professes to be, it’s hard if not impossible, for anyone to say with absolute certainty, that someone is putting on an act, in an attempt to gain sympathy from others, without walking in their worn-out shoes.

Jewel’s story is very stark, as it is real. In her collaboration video with Kelly Clarkson titled “Hands” a chart topping hit that changed her life and one which coincided with the destruction of America’s Trade Centre towers, she gives a no-holds-barred, poignant account, of how she extricated herself from the snake infested, Bottomless Pit of Darkness.

Come Christmas Day, when we gather around the table in unity or otherwise, we need to remember, that there are many others who stumble around like orphans in a storm; both their collective inner being and morale crushed and demoralised by strong personal demons.

As they say, there is no prosthetic for an amputated spirit. What is however at our disposal, is the effective panacea of kindness.

And as Lady Gaga says, it’s free and pure.