A Serenade of Compassion

Kindness, such a simple word, yet it contains all of humanity, all of the world. I frequently ponder whether people have always been this self-centred and self-interested. I don't expect people to be absolutely kind as they cannot be and shouldn't be because if they were, who would be the Lord above us? I see versions of myself hurting and inflicting pain on other versions of themselves. The mere expectation I have is of humans to simply care about other humans. It pains me hugely to see the red splash of hatred everywhere, all around me.

Regardless of what the purpose of our existence is, of what our desire is, of how important some things are for us, we never have the right or reason to hurt anyone, any species. We, humans, think we are the supreme beings who are entitled to everything under the sun. We are the ones who hurt and betray even our own skin and kin, let alone strangers. We are not the only ones with life to protect, to live. We are not the only ones with people whom we love, whom we hold to be above everyone else, even above God. Life is not just our right.

What prompts us to think of just ourselves?

Since ages, it has been a well-known fact that humans come alone and depart alone, what accompanies them are just the memories, the memories of all the good and bad that have been done by them. Prioritising one's family over others is acceptable, but it is never acceptable to do so at the expense of others.

What perplexes me is the sheer insensitivity people show at times, the brutal tactless attitude all around in the surrounding. We never know which barrier of breakdown or the urge to end things the person in front of us has crossed just a night before, seeing just the face. One of the most convincing masks ever created is a face. The battle scars on one's spirit, the crust of eye boogers left behind after an enormous torrent of tears have flowed from one's eyes, or the wrinkles from the excessive sleep used as a diversion from the world's apathy cannot be seen by others.

Being unaware of someone else’s pain is not a sin but not even trying to be aware, is. What we, the humans, can at the very least do is just be a tad more patient, a little more empathetic, a bit more human after all.

When it comes to the profound and vulnerable emotions of people, the most complicated beings of all, ignorance is not a bliss. We say things that could pierce someone's heart like a dagger does, do things that could shatter the fragile glass fortress of the illusionary calm inside their heart, and make gestures that could render someone numb because of how excruciatingly painful they are.

Because of this interconnectedness, everything we do has an exponentially greater impact on someone else and ultimately has an even greater impact on ourselves. Although bodies are mere mortal frames, souls are not. Souls are fragile and delicate pieces. It is generally believed that whatever we do eventually comes back to us. To me, though, this idea seems a little odd. In order to avoid future issues, we are taught to be polite and even a little selfless at times. However, the only motivation for this is self-interest.

We do acts of charity, loads of philanthropic work, do rituals, read sermons, preach ethics and so much more just to make that “Supreme Being” happy so that it favours us in our times of trouble thus, doing it all for our ultimate self-interest.

Do we humans lack the capability to feel purely and selflessly? Are we in-built to be selfish?

There has to be someone, somewhere, thinking of someone, for someone from a heart as pure as a bird's passion for flight and as unadulterated as a whale's determination to navigate waves as colossal as a mountain. That person would be the one who will know the raison d' être of life without even realising it. It would come like a gentle breeze, departing as though it never arrived, as if it never existed and would stay with us for the rest of our lives like a scent, the beautiful yet deeply painful fragrance of nostalgia. Their gaze will mirror the serenity of a flowing galaxy, their deeds as primal and aiding as our intrinsic breathing mechanism, and their words as comforting as the twilight's song.

Aspire to embody that person, that comforting celestial being. Be that person rather than trying to find one.

Plato said, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle."