In the wake of the tragic events in Orlando over the past week, I have been seeing several positive posts, quotes, and sentiments about spreading love and kindness to one another. I couldn’t agree more! But it got me thinking – what, exactly, is kindness?

Kind [kahynd]

Adjective 1. considerate, or helpful; humane

I wanted to read the definitions of these words so that I could be reminded of their meaning. I was initially put off by the idea that kindness was defined by the term “humane.” However, the more I thought about it, the more it seems spot on. Kindness is the most basic act of humane-ness that there is. To be humane implies that we don’t hurt one another, by words or by actions. That got me thinking about another word:

Tolerance [tol-er-uh ns]

Noun 1. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, beliefs, practices, racial or ethnic origins, etc., differ from one’s own; freedom from bigotry.

Reading this definition, it seems to me that tolerance and kindness are synonymous. Our world is a wonderfully diverse place; it’s up to each of us to promote and demonstrate tolerance and kindness in our everyday lives. The world can be a kind place, and it starts with you!