Give Kindness a Chance
‘Tis the season! There are many ways one can become a
grinch. We are the sum of our experiences and if life has short-sheeted us, we believe
we have every reason to be grumpy.
However … if you give kindness a try
… you just might find … it’s better to be kind than …
CONTUMELIOUS (känʹtyōō
mē lē ɘs) adj. – rude in a contemptuous way; insulting and humiliating
(adv. – contumeliously). [WW #245*]
A contumelious attitude
boils down to lack of respect for others. The Golden
Rule is a good remedy: Do unto others as you would have others do unto
you. Bonus: it’ll make you feel better too.
Would you like it if a contumelious
person let the heavy office door slam in your face, while you precariously juggled
briefcase, coffee, and phone?
Characteristic contumelious
behavior can be effectively reversed, if you give
kindness a try. Life is too short to wear a continuous frown and doing
something nice for someone opens more than a door … it opens your heart.
References in literature abound, pointing
to a “civilized society.” One does not exist, nor has one ever. There shall
never be one, as long as contumelious people have no desire to see
that a better way to live is with kindness.
Sadly, with the freedom of the
Internet and social media, contumelious insults and humiliation have
escalated in our everyday lives. Who knew there were so
many mean people in the world?
This month should be about giving …
not simply a donation to charity or needy family, but in heartfelt actions,
too.
Smile at a stranger; smiles are like
ripples in a pond … benevolently boundless. Pay for the coffee of the person
ahead of you in line and start a pay-it-forward act of kindness that will last
far beyond the last sip of java.
Post a feel-good social media message
and vow not to react with venom to the contumelious messages in
your feed. If you must respond, do it with constructive criticism in a voice of
kindness.
Word Challenge:
CONTUMELIOUS. Create a New Year’s resolution of daily kindness (easy and
enduring), as you fit contumelious into your week of compassionate writings.
Learning knows no prejudices or boundaries, and it isn’t fattening!
Expanding your mind is a no-cost, simple joy. Do you feel that way too? What’s
your inspiration? Share your creative genius and Wordplay Wednesday comments below.
Write first for yourself … only then can you write for others. (L.Rochelle)
[LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by
trade, and an author by way of Rock & Roll. She has published two books in
her Blast from Your Past series (of
three) about pioneering R&R Radio DJs. True behind-the-mic tales make GREAT
Holiday and anytime Gifts available on Amazon (eBook and print): Book 1 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years
1954-1959; and Book
2 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties. Coming soon … The Psychedelic
Seventies!]
*Note: Dictionary definitions are quoted from Webster’s
New World College Dictionary. Yes, we sometimes present them out of
“official” context—but that’s half the fun! Think of it as “creative context.”
Endnote: FYI – All links in the PFP site are personally
visited, verified, and vetted. Most are linked to commonly accessed sites of
reputable note. However, as with everything cyber-security, use at your own
discretion.
E-N-Dzzzzzzzz
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