You've heard it said, “Be nice to your kids. They'll choose your nursing home.” Well, there may be other and more important reasons for being careful how we treat one another.
I think that U.S. industrialist Charles M. Schwab may have gotten it right. At age 72, Schwab was sued for a large sum of money. Many high-profile persons would have settled out of court, but Schwab went through with it and eventually won the suit.
Before he left the witness stand, he asked permission of the court to make a statement of a personal nature.
This is what he said: "I am an old man, and I want to say that ninety percent of my troubles have been due to my being good to other people. If you younger folk want to avoid trouble, be hard-boiled and say no to everybody. You will then walk through life unmolested, but…” and here a broad smile lit up his face, “you will have to do without friends, and you won't have much fun.”
Maybe that's why Henry James said, “Three things in human life are important: The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.” It's a vital part of a whole and happy life.
