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I know what you’re thinking, what do trains and swimwear got to do with kindness? Let me tell you a story.
This morning I wanted to catch the express train so that I could come to work early and finish early.
After taking a quick shower, I was readying myself to go out when my wife told me that she forgot to bring our son’s swimwear when she accompanied our son to the bus stop. She said our son, who’s 4 right now, might cry if the kindergarten doesn’t allow him to swim without his swimwear.
The Choices
She got three options I thought: one, she takes a 30-minute walk to the kindergarten and delivers the swimwear herself; two, she can take a taxi if she doesn’t want to walk; three, she could just forget about it, and let our son just skip the swimming lesson for the day.
I told her, “Ok, prepare the things, I will take you there by car.”
She lightens up.
I didn’t catch the express train but I’m happy I was able to help my wife. If you were in my position, what do you think I should have done?
I know it’s her responsibility to prepare the things our kids need for school. But if you think about it, it’s not only her responsibility, it’s my responsibility as well. It just so happens that she’s a stay-at-home mom so she consequently took the bulk of the responsibility at home. But it’s just my responsibility as hers.
Gender Roles or Kindness
Many purists would say, “we have roles and it’s women’s role to do this stuff.” Really? Or is it just convenient to think so?
Maybe we’ve just been trained to think so by society—I was raised by a stay-at-home mom. Or maybe, I’m a weak husband who can’t tell his wife to “get your shit together and take responsibility for your blunder.”
Me? I only think that if it’s in my power to help my wife, I would do so without hesitation. As I’m sure she would do so for me too.
Don’t overcomplicate things. Be kind whenever you can. That should be the #1 rule.
How about you, what kindness can you do to lighten up your home today?
Every time you decide things you get to choose among several choices, please remember that kindness is a choice too.
GM from Tokyo.🌤️
— Denver | Write your Ikigai 🇯🇵 (@IkigaiJournal) November 30, 2022
