Lovingkindness: Why are Care and Consideration So Surprising?!
A couple months ago, during a three-hour van ride across Thailand and amidst a sweltering heatwave, I found myself reflecting on the concepts of care and lovingkindness. The heat was almost unbearable, and everyone seemed on edge. Yet, as I interacted with fellow passengers, I noticed small acts of kindness that made a significant impact on our shared experience.
This got me thinking — why does lovingkindness seem so strange and surprising in modern society? It’s as if we’ve grown accustomed to a competitive, individualistic mindset, and the constant barrage of negative news has desensitized us to the importance of compassion. Even a simple gesture of care can catch us off guard. Why is that?
During the ride, I sat next to a woman and her young son, both from Britain, and we got to talking, and we were both trying to endure the heat and uncomfortability of the ride with 9 other sweaty people cramped into a van with too much luggage. I had packed extra snacks, hand wipes, and heat/pain packs for the trip, knowing that they might be needed, and offered snacks/packs to the woman, her son, her ex, his son, and the seatmates in front of me, all of…
