Kindness.

I could hardly believe my ears when I put the news on yesterday. There they were announcing that it was a special day, it was, "Kindness Day." 

Now I do not know who thought up this idea at all am i being cynical if I suspect that some florists or some other business is looking for another way to make income?

A day when we are supposed to do an act of kindness and yes there it was why not go and treat somebody to something.

I always thought and believed that acts of kindness had to come from the heart and were done simply because they were needed. They certainly were not acts to make a big thing of. Simple and anonymous if at all possible. 

I also, maybe foolishly thought that every day was a day of kindness, but I could of course be so wrong. 

Mr Yin who lived in the state of Chou was a very prosperous businessman. His employees worked very hardened without rest from morning till evening.

One of his workers was an old labourer whose physical strength was nearly exhausted and yet he laboured all day. He could be heard huffing and puffing all day. His hard labour meant that by night he slept soundly. 

As he slept he often had wonderful dreams of being a king and a rich man, a leader of people. In those dreams he saw himself relaxing and enjoying life. it was a wonder beyond compare. Then he awoke and returned to another day of labour. 

When others showed sympathy for him he told them that yes he found it hard and sometimes miserable but at night when he slept he slept the sleep of a king. 

As for the boss Mr Yin he spent his day worrying all the time about his business and how he could enhance his wealth. Such a day meant that at the end of the day he was both physically and mentally exhausted. 

At night he had troubled dreams where he dreamt of being poor and downtrodden. He huffed and puffed all night and awoke in the morning still tired and unreeled.

He realise that he was an unhappy man and so he consulted a sage. 

The sage told him how he had stars and wealth way beyond his needs, and yet you have restless nights. He asked him to consider how any person who had no thought of others and only looked for his own good could expect to sleep with a clear mind.

Mr Yin gave it some thought, he for the first time saw how hard he expected people to work. He reduced the hours of labour and gave the workers a break during the day. 

That night for the first time both Mr Yin and old Mr yang slept the sleep of contentment. 

Have a good day and remember every day is a day of kindness we do not need a day set aside for that.