Five kindnesses you can do today...

After the ten desserts you can make today, to the twelve exercises you can do at home, to the 13 animals you can pet today, and the 6 items you can make with 3 ingredients (and the world’s obsession with the numbering) I have also fallen into the trap today.

While driving today, it struck me – “rational analysis” does not and should not always hold true. It’s indeed fair to assume it provides our brain a walled framework to think in, but we should not always use it as a base criterion to make decisions with:

And here is why, rationality often rules out basic humanity, it rules out “needs and requirements” and removes scope for support and kindnesses. The plural form of kindness – the kind we need to develop as humanity.

• A needy elderly – our knowledge of all subjects large and far is vast and so we also know of money spinning exploitative nexuses, when we hear the word “begging” we uphold our intellect and make the rational decision to ignore everyone in need. But, if we look hard enough there are those who are abandoned rather regularly, those that don’t have a “commercial glint” in their eyes, rather have a look of utter resignation or despair. Many elderly even take to commerce to earn a living. Human beings can discriminate via use of intellect – let us help them if we can, and if we can’t at least not give them a hurtful look or a scowl, which would further degrade their meaningless lives.  
• Performing animals – while roaming around in India gate, we met a camel whom the owner acknowledged as “Veeru”, through the dim light I could see Veeru was confused and stressed. But he was a delectable ride to two heavy adults and their podgy prodigy. Our rational selves would assume Veeru is here to serve – and to be of service – ala John Wick (whatever he meant). However, Veeru is a victim of our circumstances: caught as a child, captured as an adult, and forced to live a 996 life. The very life we rightfully rebel at, if we all are repelled at Jack Ma – why are we not repelled at ourselves when we alight on the many small and big Veeru’s of the world?  
• Broken English – There are many of us who stumble while communicating in English, there are many of us who mispronounce common words, there are indeed many of us for whom English isn’t a strong point. Our rational mind slightly steps away from their acquaintance. Let English not be the judgement table where we weigh competencies, ideas and efficiencies. Let us go a step deeper and understand the intent of the person, most of them might truly surprise us with their intellect and ideation.  
• Patience in queue – after being shouted at today by an equally well educated colleague (I believe) while haplessly trying to navigate and park in a lot dotted with flowerpots to act as boundaries – I took a step back. A rational mind is quick to act and assume – and indeed I stalled him for a few quick seconds till I found my way; but a ‘verbal interlock’– was it really the best way to tell another person to move out of the way? – Dippers in the office parking lot? Shouting to push someone out of the way – assuming they were deliberately holding you up?
• Analyze and give another person a few moments to act, give them a benefit of doubt, de-rationalize, and stop controlling the situation. No one is so unimportant as to not be given a benefit of doubt and no one is so important that they cannot release a few minutes of their time to others.
• Accept the imperfections- Being non-reactive forms a part of de-rationalization. No water in the water cooler, warm water in place of chilled water, a walk to the other tower which seems miles away under the hot sun, plans not going as “planned”, slow internet or none at all, the i-phone not playing music as its “too hot”, Alexa not connecting to the internet. Not expecting a 100% everyday day after day, day after day. Accepting 98% sometimes, bracing for 95% sometimes. Devices, equipment and human lives are not bot like and that’s the charm of it all. Be kind to yourself in these circumstances, accept the alternative, wait, decide, choose, evolve.