The Currency of Kindness
A currency we can afford to trade in more often
Feeding Dreams Cambodia
Secrets, sex, services, men, women, children, tobacco, coffee, the list goes on. Throughout history, currency has existed in many forms far from the standard paper note. Right or wrong, society can conceptualise almost anything as a system of trade, fueling economies and countries – making and destroying lives. The motivation? Money or power.
Money and power are themes so relevant in our society, they not only make an appearance in our reality, but find a voice through film, books and music. Those who don’t have it, want it. Those who do have it, want more. Everyone lusts for the wealth that will ‘upgrade’ their lives. But as much as our dreams are fueled by materialistic things, society is becoming more aware of the dark, and all-consuming reality of greed.
As human beings, in our efforts to accumulate wealth or success, it’s far too easy to sacrifice our values, happiness and relationships in this mindless pursuit. We have become master manipulators and we do not need to look past our own lives to see the evidence of this. In high school, we look into fake smiles longing after popularity. On social media, we become flawless individuals inciting likes and envy. We’re all guilty and we all get caught up in this life. We forget that we are capable of sincere emotions and feelings, motivated from the internal, not external.
This is what I have learnt from my time in Cambodia. There’s poverty, there is illness and death, but there is also kindness everywhere you look.
There is something about true kindness. Kindness that is offered in the purest sense, expecting nothing in return. It’s priceless. It costs you nothing but gives you everything. The Khmer people greeted you with a smile whether you were a stranger on the street, or their teacher in a classroom. Without knowing anything about you, ignoring all superficial stereotypes, the children at the Feeding Dreams School embraced us with open arms. With a language barrier, particularly present with the younger students, we communicated simply through the word 'hello', a smile and an energy presenting sincerity and love without words to do so verbally. I am eager to live a life filled with kindness, like the Khmer people. In a first world country, it’s a currency that we can afford to trade in more often.
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