That was great! I love how it sets you up to expect something maleficent, and then suddenly you are accosted by kindness. Isn't that what kindness always does? Whether we're blinded by prejudice or simply jaded by the daily selfishness of others (and ourselves), kindness sets everything right - even just for a moment - so that the world comes into sharp focus and we can finally see clearly. More than anything else, kindness convinces me of how broken the world is, simply by the vividness of contrast.
I am always surprised at how fast I become inward on a return trip home from overseas. In Uganda, people are so open and trusting of each other. That doesn't mean people themselves are always trustworthy but I usually feel quite comfortable around strangers there. Returning back to Canada is shocking because there is this air of suspicion all around, and it takes a while to get my footing. Sadly, instead of fostering that same openness I experienced in Uganda, I allow my own culture to dictate my behaviour and become my own little island sheltered from the people around me. I don't like that I do this, but there it is.
That was great! I love how it sets you up to expect something maleficent, and then suddenly you are accosted by kindness. Isn't that what kindness always does? Whether we're blinded by prejudice or simply jaded by the daily selfishness of others (and ourselves), kindness sets everything right - even just for a moment - so that the world comes into sharp focus and we can finally see clearly. More than anything else, kindness convinces me of how broken the world is, simply by the vividness of contrast.
ReplyDeleteI am always surprised at how fast I become inward on a return trip home from overseas. In Uganda, people are so open and trusting of each other. That doesn't mean people themselves are always trustworthy but I usually feel quite comfortable around strangers there. Returning back to Canada is shocking because there is this air of suspicion all around, and it takes a while to get my footing. Sadly, instead of fostering that same openness I experienced in Uganda, I allow my own culture to dictate my behaviour and become my own little island sheltered from the people around me. I don't like that I do this, but there it is.
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