When someone asks me, “What was the most important thing you learned in high school?” It takes me a second to think about it. In my time in high school, I have learned about the pythagorean theorem, oxford comma (which I personally support), and how we need to save the planet. Yet, I’ve also learned how it is okay to put yourself out there, ask questions, and that everyone in any of your classes could use a friend. I’ve learned that to be a good listener you must be open minded; to be a good speaker, you must have confidence that what you’re saying is worthy of being heard. It is okay to laugh and be outgoing towards unfamiliar people, because if you are, these people will soon become familiar. I have also come to realize that balance is attainable, and that studying and dedicating time to your hobbies and interests outside of school can come hand in hand. Even as a young person, you can be passionate and you should not be afraid to show your passions to those around you.
With all of this being said, the most important thing I have learned throughout high school is seemingly simple: in life, you must be kind.
Although all people are taught about kindness as children and told how you should treat others how you want to be treated, as we grow older this virtue can become lost in translation with the presence of social media, peer pressure, and desire to “cool”. By making kindness at the root of your actions, however, you will make others feel welcome and good karma will follow you… and don’t worry, it’s cool to be kind. Your kindness will not always be reciprocated by others, however stay true to yourself and try to make others feel welcome around you. As Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Highschool is a short chapter in the book of your life, yet it serves as a foundation for your other, more extravagant chapters. By making “being kind” a priority, only positive things will follow. What is the downside to being kind? There is none. What do you have to lose? You only have things to gain.
Think of a garden. No flowers will grow if no seeds are planted, so it is obvious you must plant seeds. When choosing to plant these seeds, you must make a choice: will you plant the seeds poorly in an incorrect manner and treat them poorly so they will not yield flowers? Or will you plant these seeds with love and good intentions, monitoring them and giving them the tools to flourish and grow. To yield beautiful flowers, of course you are going to give the proper time and energy to nurturing these seeds. In life, seeds are like your actions, they start out small but then they soon grow and have a greater impact. Eventually, these seeds bloom into your relationships. With all of this being said, kindness will help you succeed in all aspects of your life. Using your energy in a positive manner rather than negative ultimately makes the most sense.
So, next time you have the opportunity to choose between kindness and the alternative, I encourage you to choose kindness.
-Ainsley
@ainsleylawler
