By Robyn Scherzer
Have you ever been in a situation where you had to be the bigger person? I have. I believe in being kind even if it is undeserved. Many people may disagree with this, but I honestly think people who have this trait tend to be the best kind of human.
Growing up, I was raised to be a respectful, kind, and forgiving person. My parents always told me to be the bigger person in every hardship I went through. For example, a time in my life when this stood out to me the most was with my friend Grace.
Grace was going through something hard at the time. Her mom had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Grace dealt with her emotions in the wrong way because she was feeling so lonely and sad. She started to treat everyone in her life badly, and she would act irrationally, lash out in anger at times, and not always treat you as a friend most of the time. During this time, it was hard for me to want to stick around because of how badly she would treat me, but I realized all I could do was be kind, supportive, and understanding to her. I knew at the end of the day that she did not mean all the negative things she was doing or saying. I learned that all she wanted was somebody to talk to and be there for her during this rough time. So, I knew I had to be that person for her. Even though it was very rough at times, I never gave up or snapped. I realized she needed me more than anyone else. I came over after every appointment her mom had, whether it was for radiation or just a doctor’s appointment. Her mom always felt weak and fatigued after these appointments. She would even get sad. So, I would always bring donuts to cheer up Grace and her mom. Even though it was nothing big, the little things mattered.
After going through this challenging time, Grace realized how she was acting toward me was not the best, and due to my kindness and sticking by her side, she became grateful and very appreciative of my friendship. She really turned around and opened up to me. Kindness runs like dominos.
Although Grace did not treat me like a friend, most of the time she was going through this hardship with her mom, she was always still like family to me. You never know what somebody is dealing with, whether personal or not. That is why it is essential to be there for the people who mean the most to you. Never give up, even if it can be rough on you.
The point I am getting at is always treating everybody you know, meet, or encounter with kindness, even if you do not get that in return. You will be much happier at the end of the day knowing that you could have made somebody’s day a little bit brighter. I believe in being kind even if you do not deserve it.
Robyn is a freshman at Delta College this year. She is going into the nursing program and plans on becoming a RN. She loves working with people of all age ranges.