The Invisible Battles of Others

A friend of mine was incredibly short with me the other day. My first instinct was to get defensive, to point out how I hadn't done anything wrong. But then I stopped and looked at her. Really looked. I saw the dark circles under her eyes and the way her hands were slightly shaking. I didn't snap back. Instead, I just asked, 'Hey, are you okay? You seem like you're carrying a lot.' She burst into tears right there in the middle of the sidewalk. She wasn't mad at me; she was just at her breaking point.

Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. It sounds like a cliché from a 2010 Pinterest board, but it’s the absolute truth. In our current era, we are all under an immense amount of pressure to perform, to earn, and to stay relevant. We’re all a little bit fragile. Kindness is the acknowledgment of that fragility. It’s the grace we extend to people who are acting out because they are hurting. It doesn't excuse bad behavior, but it provides a context that allows for healing instead of more conflict.

This empathy is the heartbeat of National Kindness Week 2026. It’s about developing a 'kindness first' reflex. Instead of assuming the worst about someone's intentions, we can try to assume they’re just having a really hard day. This shift in perspective is a gift to ourselves as much as it is to them. It keeps us from carrying around the weight of unnecessary anger. It allows us to move through the world with a lighter heart and a more open mind.

We are all just walking each other home, as the saying goes. Sometimes that walk is through a storm. If you can be the person who holds the umbrella for a second, why wouldn't you? You don't need to have all the answers for someone's problems. Most of the time, people just need to know they aren't alone in the rain. Kindness is that quiet presence. It’s the hand on the shoulder that says, 'I see you, and I’m here.' In 2025, that is the most valuable thing we can offer one another.