Being able to feel our way into another’s soul, to sense what is going on behind their social mask, is the passcode to kindness. A friend gave me a quote a few months ago, a one-liner from the Jewish sage Philo of Alexandria. “Be kind, for everyone is fighting a great battle.” I’ve found, with a little practice, I can at least get this far.
“Sorry about the wait,” the cashier apologizes. It has been a long time. She’s been moving like molasses; the line at her register creeps forward by millimeters. According to the unwritten laws of retail, I’m entitled to a small display of petulance. Instead, I try to take her point of view. She’s been on her feet all day. She’s harried and underpaid. The job is repetitive, and impatient customers treat her like an appliance