Why are there fewer kind people? Well, first of all, that is an invalid question. There are lots of kind people. In fact, I believe that most people are kind in many ways. However, because kindness has a cost, lots of us pass up the opportunities to be kind to others.
What costs us to be kind? Many acts of kindness cost time. In our rushing through busy, busy days we think we just don't have time. Many opportunities for kindness don't really cost much of our time. But they would interrupt our movement forward. Stopping to help someone can seem like we just don't have the time.
Yet, how long does it take really to hold the door for someone who isn't quite at the door and you have to hold it for just a few seconds longer than it would take for you to pass through the door? How long does it take to pick up litter on your way to or from someplace? If you are really a kind person you might build an extra five minutes into your schedule to make it easy for you to use a few minutes to help someone else.
So, acts of kindness might be inconvenient. They might take you out of your comfort zone, like saying "hello" to a homeless person, even if you don't donate a dollar. Like supporting an unpopular cause or intervene in a contentious rasist verbal barb.
Some acts of kindness might require physical effort, like volunteering on a project with Habitat for Humanity or carrying someone's parcels for them.You might help an elderly person with yard work or home improvements. You might need to step in to help someone get something done.
Some acts of kindness might cost you money, large or small amounts. You might give money to a vagrant or donate to a charity. It is more meaningful when you give generously rather than "small change"
So there is nice - and there is NICE. Small sacrifice or large sacrifice may be the opportunity that comes your way.
In spite of the sacrifice, helping others, being nice, has a big payoff in making the world a better place.
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